Madar (Nouakchott) - The Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event held in Africa, open in Dakar on Saturday evening, October 31, 2026, after President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani took part in the Dakar 2026 summit on sport and sustainable development alongside several heads of state and leaders of the international sports movement, the Mauritanian News Agency reported.
The summit is one of the side events of the Games, whose opening ceremony President Ghazouani is attending. The presidency's media office released photos of his participation.
At the Olympic village, the minister of youth empowerment, employment, sports and civic service paid a support visit to the Mauritanian delegation together with Mauritania's ambassador to Senegal, checking on the athletes' accommodation and preparations and urging them to represent Mauritania with honour, the Al-Wiam news agency reported.
Mauritania is represented by three athletes in athletics and judo: Coumba Diop in judo, and Mbareck Said and Faty Sy in the 100 metres, as Madar reported yesterday.
The Games run until November 13, 2026, the first edition of the Youth Olympic Games held on African soil.
