Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema met in Libreville on Tuesday, October 14, with Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, President of the Senegalese National Olympic and Sports Committee, and Créssant Pambo, President of the Gabonese National Olympic Committee, to discuss preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The meeting focused on Gabon’s participation in the upcoming Games and on fostering deeper cooperation between the two nations in the field of sports development.
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), set to take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, will mark a historic first for the African continent.
More than 2,700 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 are expected to compete in 35 sporting disciplines.
The competitions will be held across three main venues: Dakar, Diamniadio — located around 40 kilometres east of the capital — and Saly, a seaside resort situated 80 kilometres south of Dakar.
According to an official statement from the Gabonese presidency, President Oligui Nguema reaffirmed his country’s commitment to contributing to the success of the Games.
“Gabon is available to support the organization of this historic event, a symbol of African unity and dynamism,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Discussions also underscored the significance of collective African mobilization in ensuring the success of the continent’s first Youth Olympic Games.
The leaders emphasized that the Dakar 2026 YOG will not only celebrate sport but also embody the values of youth, solidarity, and Olympic spirit shared across Africa.
In a related development, three young Gabonese boxers are set to take part in the African Youth Games in Luanda in December 2025 — a key qualifying stage for the Dakar event.
Their participation highlights Gabon’s growing investment in nurturing young sporting talent and strengthening regional cooperation through athletic excellence.
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