On 8 October 2026, H.E. Ms. Nipa NIRANNOOT, Ambassador-Designate of Thailand to Senegal, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Ms. Djirèye Clotilde COLY, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Senegal, to discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperation in youth development and sports.

On this occasion, the Ambassador congratulated the Minister on her appointment at a pivotal time in preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and commended her vision and efforts. The Ambassador also briefed the Minister on the Embassy’s development cooperation initiatives in Senegal, particularly in the areas of food security, agriculture and fisheries, and public health. These initiatives include capacity-building training programmes in Thailand for Senegalese medical professionals and fisheries experts, as well as mobile medical outreach activities. The Ambassador reaffirmed the Embassy’s readiness to further expand and strengthen cooperation with Senegal in youth development and sports, including through training programmes for Senegalese medical professionals in sports medicine.

The Ambassador also highlighted Thailand’s support for Senegal’s hosting of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games through the promotion of Muay Thai. Most recently, the Embassy, in collaboration with the Senegalese Muay Thai Association, organised Senegal’s first national Muay Thai championship at the Social and Cultural Centre in Bargny in June 2026. In September 2026, the Embassy also supported Muay Thai training activities for young people, the Thai Ambassador’s Cup Muay Thai competition, and Muay Thai competitions for secondary school and university students. These activities were highly successful and attracted strong participation from Senegalese youth. In this regard, the Ambassador sought Senegal’s support for the inclusion of Muay Thai in youth sports programmes and activities across the country.

The Minister commended the Embassy’s efforts in development cooperation and youth sports promotion. She proposed that young Senegalese people be given opportunities to learn from Thailand’s best practices in agricultural development, including through vocational skills training to better prepare them for entry into the labour market and help address social challenges. The Minister also expressed her readiness to support the development of Muay Thai in Senegal through inter-school and inter-university sports competitions, with a view to strengthening young people’s sporting abilities and inspiring them to further develop their talents.

The Minister further noted that the Ministry of Youth and Sports currently operates regional offices across all 14 regions of Senegal and continues to pursue initiatives to enhance youth capacities. Senegal also plans to establish a high-performance sports training centre in Dakar for national-level athletes, as well as a sports medicine and education centre in Thiès.