The World Cup has come and gone...

The South African World Cup 2010 has come and gone, and oh what an exceptional experience it was! The African continent is proud of South Africa for hosting such a sterling event! Oh, what pride I felt as I sat in the Soccer City stadium in Soweto watching the fateful match between Ghana and Uruguay! As Africans we have come far, and FIFA reiterated this through the rating given to South Africa by FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, of 9 out of 10 in the way the event was managed. The success of the World Cup in South Africa is an example of what the African continent can achieve. What remains now is how do we maximize the benefit from the positive publicity gained after the event?

The onus is on the region and sub-region to support this initiative post the event and ensure that Africa benefits from this exposure. We have to follow through and capitalize on the fact that sub-Saharan Africa held the global centre stage for a month by engaging in below the line marketing activities to showcase our attractions. The World Cup created value for Africa that is priceless. It is imperative for the continent to take advantage of the collateral created by the soccer showcase. In the development of any economy, especially in emerging markets, people first visit, then they trade and finally invest. The first hurdle of visiting has been jumped. The world now knows that Africa is real and a force to be reckoned with! We must prepare adequately to ensure that we stand up and be counted and that we are part of the trade and investment forum as the global economy evolves!