体坛英语新闻：CAF decides to continue its partnership with FIFA to initiate reforms

RABAT, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee expressed on Sunday in Rabat its intention to continue the CAF-FIFA partnership in order to initiate the necessary reforms of the African football.

Following the expiration of the tenure of CAF-FIFA Cooperation agreement, the CAF Executive Committee, has decided to continue with the implementation of reforms, said a statement by CAF at the end of it's meeting held in Mohammed VI sport complex in Sale, in the suburb of Moroccan capital.

The statement added that CAF will implement the reforms in the areas of refereeing, infrastructure, competitions and governance based on the report compiled by the Reform Task Force.

The CAF executive committee pledged to implement significant finance and administrative management with immediate effect, and ensure the independence of the judicial bodies as approved by the Executive Committee.

The African sport body expressed gratitude to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and of FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura for their commitment and involvement in the CAF-FIFA cooperation.

Samoura was dispatched to the CAF between August 1, 2019 and February 1, 2020, to clean up the organization.

Earlier on Sunday, FIFA presented the conclusions of this six-month mission to the CAF Executive Committee.

In the recommendations, FIFA urged the creation of a group of professional referees, at least 20, financed and organized by FIFA in partnership with CAF.

The recommendations urged also the mobilisation of a minimum fund of 1 billion U.S. dollars to invest in infrastructures in all the 54 African member associations.?