President Kagame discussed with NBA Africa’s Akamanzi and The BAL’s Amadou Gallo Fal the progress of the game on the continent. Photo/Urugwiro Village.
President Paul Kagame on Tuesday met and held talks with Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Basketball Association-Africa (NBA Africa) and Amadou Gallo Fall, with whom he discussed the forthcoming tournament in May and the future of basketball on the African continent.
The Head of State met the two high ranking sports officials in Rusororo, at the sidelines of a two-day retreat of cabinet members and other senior officials, being chaired by President Kagame, to discuss national development ambition and strategies.
“President Kagame received @cakamanzi – CEO of NBA Africa and @amadougallofall – President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). They discussed BAL’s partnership with Rwanda and the upcoming BAL finals scheduled to take place in Kigali from 24 May to 1 June 2024.”
The meeting is the first official meeting between President Kagame and Akamanzi, the former CEO of Rwanda Development Board (RDB), who was named CEO of NBA Africa at the end of December last year, resuming office on January 23, 2024.
The Head of State was flanked by the Minister of Sports, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju and Francis Gatare, CEO Rwanda Development Board.
Under her role, Akamanzi oversees the NBA’s business and basketball development efforts in Africa and part of her responsibilities is continuing to grow the popularity of basketball, the NBA and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) across the continent.
President Kagame on the other hand has over the years expressed his interest to promote the growth and development of basketball as a sport in Rwanda and on the African continent through different initiatives.
The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa, sponsored by RDB, through the ‘Visit Rwanda’ brand.
The 2024 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 4, is the 4th season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and it kicked off on 9 March 2024 with different conferences across the continent and will conclude with the final on 1 June 2024, which will be played in the BK Arena in Kigali, for the fourth consecutive season.
This season the league was expanded to 48 games, and from two conferences to three conferences, as South Africa hosted the inaugural Kalahari Conference. Egypt’s Al Ahly are the defending champions, having won the previous edition.
