Our Vision for Africa (2006 to 2010) And Beyond

I) PREAMBLE

Chess development on the African continent has for a long time been undermined by the failure of administrators to work as a team. The hurdles arising from this shortcoming have profoundly retarded more significant growth even in the light of FIDE?s global strategic goals.

It is virtually impossible for anyone seeking to advance the cause of African chess to succeed single handedly. In this vein, conventional wisdom dictates that anyone seeking office to advance the cause for African chess MUST build a team. This team must strive to offer equal opportunities to the entire continent regardless of race, creed or colour. With the value of teamwork being so obvious, the African Continental President elect (Dabilani Buthali of Botswana) and FIDE Vice Presidential candidate (Lewis Ncube of Zambia) are combining their efforts towards enhancing further the achievements so far attained by the leadership of H.E.Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.

II) ADMINISTRATION (THE AFRICAN CHESS UNION)

The African Chess Union, which was formed for the purpose of advancing the cause of African chess within the ambit of FIDE, has never really taken off. The responsibility of developing African chess has been left to the individual African Federations. Left uncoordinated, such individual efforts (however good they might be) will not have significant impact at the continental level.

Whilst FIDE has made strides in the globalisation of the game, the African Continental administration has not taken full advantage of the provided opportunities. There is need to develop a strategic plan with clear targets and milestones for the four years of our tenure. Without an African vision and mission, chess in Africa will have no direction and subsequently no desired future.

The current situation engulfing chess on the African Continent requires administrators capable of providing inspirational leadership. Our combined efforts should provide the desired inspiration and direction.

We are confident that our election to the Continental Presidency and FIDE Vice Presidency will herald a new dawn for African chess.

Upon assuming office, one of the first business items will be to seek the re-drawing of the statutes of the African Chess Union to take into account the prevailing socio-economic circumstances. All African delegates will have a say in the production of a final document that will POSITIVELY guide the administration of chess on the continent.

The objective is to have a document that reflects the goals of developing African chess with modern management techniques.

One of the proposed changes will be a re-organization of the existing structures to enable the three Zonal Presidents to act as Continental Vice Presidents. These roles would not be merely ceremonial but would have authority to act within their prescribed areas on behalf of the Continental President. This would provide for a more representative leadership for African Chess.

The position of General Secretary for the African Chess Union will be enhanced to ensure that internal communication between African Federations as well as with the FIDE Secretariat is kept up to date.

A committee to administer the financial aspects of the ACU, headed by one of the Continent?s administrators will be put in place. Amongst the tasks to be dealt with will be fund-raising activities and budgeting responsibilities.

Another committee of committed administrators will oversee the development of chess amongst the Continent?s youth.

Continental tournaments will be administered through a committee which will also ensure that all zones have an opportunity to host major continental events on a rotational basis.

III) TOURNAMENTS

On being elected Continental President and FIDE Vice President, our intention is to put in place a system where the following tournaments are held annually with the indicated benefits and incentives: ?

a) AFRICAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
This event will be held in a format similar to the World Youth Championships.
Consent from FIDE will be sought to enable the winners in each age group qualify BY RIGHT for the subsequent World Youth Championship.
Hosting of this event will rotate on a zonal basis.

b) AFRICAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
The African Junior Championship will continue in the current format with the event also being hosted on a rotational basis amongst the African zones.

A scheme to provide overseas scholarships for deserving winners of this event will also be explored.

c) CONTINENTAL INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Continental Individual Championship will also continue in the current format. The ACU General Assembly subject to FIDE approval will examine the built in qualification for ALL places for the FIDE World Championships.

d) ZONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Each zone will be required to hold Zonal championships. Zones will be encouraged to ensure that these are rotated amongst the member Federations.

IV) INTRODUCTION OF AFRICAN CHESS CIRCUIT

Despite the problems currently facing chess in Africa, it is a credit to some administrators that we have managed to produce players capable of holding their own amongst the best in the world.

The continental administration, under our guidance will put in place a programme that seeks to ensure that those who are unable to obtain financing for overseas trips are regularly afforded opportunities for development nearer home. It is our intention to put in place a circuit under which a selected group of reputable Grandmasters and International Masters tour the African Continent annually to take part in tournaments in the form of an AFRICAN CHALLENGE. These would be conducted by having an international open tournament in each zone in a particular year?s African Challenge. This would provide opportunities for more African players to raise their standard of play and OFFICIALLY improve their ratings coupled with possibilities for attainment of GM and IM norms.

VI) FIDE GLOBAL EVENTS

The hosting of FIDE Tournaments such as the World Youth and World Junior Championships is not beyond some African Federations. Indeed, with the right sponsorship package and planning we can envisage some African Federations having the capacity to host a Chess Olympiad in the next ten years.

As a team we intend to work towards the Continent hosting the World Youth and World Junior Championships within FOUR years and being able to mobilize resources for lodging a credible bid to host a Chess Olympiad within 10 years.

VII) TECHNICAL AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE

CACDEC has come to the aid of many African Federations with technical support, supply of equipment and the provision of supplementing the cost of hosting FIDE events.

We will continue to lobby for increased assistance to the most deserving of cases.

We as administrators must however recognize the financial limitations of FIDE. In this regard we intend to source for more sustainable avenues for the continued supplementation of FIDE assistance.

VIII) SETTING UP OF WEBSITE

A website under the administration of the African Chess Union must be set up to enable African chess move with the times. This will provide an opportunity for Federations to communicate and share views on the continued progress of chess on our continent.

The website will also encourage the sharing of literature which sometimes proves costly for individual Federations.

Precautions for observance of copyright and other relevant controls will also be put in place.

DABILANI BUTHALI
Continental President elect

LEWIS NCUBE
FIDE Vice President Candidate

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