KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC—Jamaica and the People’s Republic of France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation in Sports.
Under the MOU, both countries will have opportunities to partner in activities encouraging the exchange of programming experience, good practice, skills training, performance research, and technical expertise.
Sports Minister Olivia Grange and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of France Olivier Guyonvarch signed the MOU earlier this week.
Grange said that the MOU affirms both countries’ commitment to supporting the already established cooperation between sports structures of excellence in Jamaica and France.
She commended the Faculty of Sports at the University of the West Indies and the Centre of Resources, Expertise, and Performances in Sports (CREPS) in Antilles-Guyane for their continued effort to partner and advance the work between the institutions.
“The sector is better for it,” she added.
Grange also lauded the friendship between the two countries, noting that it was recently demonstrated when the Ministry assisted with the coordination of the 2024 Road to Paris Olympics, which was held on March 14, 2024.
She said the event allowed both countries to collaborate on having the symbolic baton passed from country to country and for students studying French in schools across the island to participate in the relay event.
The students were also exposed to nontraditional sporting disciplines, such as Archery, Gymnastics, and Taekwondo.
“Such a friendship in the international discourse supports an environment that both preserves and promotes the integrity of sports, reflects positive governance, and allows for accessibility for all persons whose lives are impacted by sports,” Minister Grange said.
In his remarks, Guyonvarch said the MOU is a “comprehensive and ambitious” document signed to promote sports, education, and science in sports.
He noted that the agreement would encourage cooperation in “organizing big international sporting events.”
“We have great expectations with this MOU, and we look to develop sports and science in sports, which is very important,” he said, adding that Jamaicans would be exposed to different sporting disciplines, such as Fencing, Judo, and Rugby.
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