Manama, Bahrain, October 22, 2025: A partnership hailed “as old as humanity” was renewed between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) on Wednesday, October 22, in Bahrain.
In his address before the signing ceremony, ANOCA President Mustapha Barraf said: “The partnership between our two continents is as old as humanity. Sport, which has also existed since the beginning of history, unites us through collective experience.”
Acting OCA President Timothy Fok welcomed Barraf and 17 other members of the ANOCA Executive Board to the signing ceremony underlining the renewal of the cooperation agreement between the two continental sporting governing bodies.
Established in 1981, ANOCA has 54 National Olympic Committees and is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria.
“This magnificent partnership will, on the one hand, further train our key executives and, on the other, better prepare our athletes to face the major challenges that await them,” Barraf noted.
“The OCA, representing this wonderful continent with which we have always maintained fraternal relations and which we have always admired, one again today opens its arms to us. This initiative will help us mutually strengthen our hopes so that our future generations can rise to the great upheavals of our century,” he said.
Barraf added: “Dear friends of Africa, you will forever remain in our hearts, you are forever one of us, and we are one of yours.”
Both OCA and ANOCA hosted a joint-lunch for all Presidents and other senior officials from their NOCs.
