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FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, met on Monday, September 18, 2023, in New York to review the progress of their collaboration in leveraging football’s power and influence to boost the economies of the least developed countries, with a particular focus on the “Cotton 4 plus” nations (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Cote d’Ivoire).
Both organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding last September to create opportunities within the football apparel value chain for the Cotton 4 countries. Nearly a year after the MOU’s signing, the leaders of both organizations convened to discuss the progress, ways to enhance it, and opportunities for women’s economic empowerment.
During the meeting, Okonjo-Iweala and Infantino also explored the potential integration of FIFA’s Football for Schools program, a FIFA initiative in partnership with UNESCO aimed at contributing to the education, development, and empowerment of approximately 700 million children worldwide.
Both Infantino and Okonjo-Iweala shared updates about the meeting and the progress made on their respective social media pages, highlighting the opportunities for further economic development in developing countries.