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Morocco’s Princess Lalla Asmae, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire launch 2nd Phase of ‘United, We Hear Each Other Better’ Operation
Morocco’s Princess Lalla Asmae, Chairwoman of the Lalla Asmae Foundation, and First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, Mrs. Dominique Ouattara, President of the Children of Africa Foundation, chaired on Wednesday at the Mother and Child Hospital in Abidjan, the launch ceremony of the second phase of the “United, we hear each other better” operation, which aims to restore hearing to disadvantaged African children.
The ceremony marks the beginning of a significant partnership between the two foundations, which goes well beyond a simple collaboration, embodying a sincere promise to offer the gift of hearing to those who have been deprived of it.
According to the Moroccan news agency, MAP, the ceremony marks the beginning of a significant partnership between the Lalla Asmae Foundation and the Children of Africa Foundation, which goes well beyond a simple collaboration, embodying a sincere promise to offer the gift of hearing to those who have been deprived of it.
On their arrival at the Mother and Child Hospital in Abidjan, HRH Princess Lalla Asmae and the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire were greeted by Kandia Kamissoko Camara, Ivorian Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Diaspora, Pierre Dimba, Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage and Myss Belmonde Dogo, Minister of Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty, as well as Khalid Ait Taleb, Minister of Health and Social Protection, and Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and the Family.
HRH Princess Lalla Asmae and Dominique Ouattara then visited the children who benefited from the cochlear implant operation, from Mali, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Burkina-Faso.
Her Royal Highness and the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire also visited the operating theatre, where the surgical microscope and micromotor donated by the Lalla Asmae Foundation to the Children of Africa Foundation are installed.
On this occasion, HRH Princess Lalla Asmae symbolically presented Dominique Ouattara with a prototype cochlear implant.
During the first phase the “United, we hear each other better” operation, organized in October 2022, some 35 children from several West African countries made the journey to Morocco to receive cochlear implants.
At the heart of this campaign is the Lalla Asmae Foundation’s commitment to provide 100 cochlear implants to the Children of Africa Foundation. These small medical devices will open up a world of possibilities for deaf children, enabling them to communicate, learn and thrive.
The Lalla Asmae Foundation is also committed to sharing essential knowledge and expertise by transferring surgical techniques between Moroccan and Ivorian professionals. A state-of-the-art operating theatre will be equipped by the Foundation at the Mother and Child Hospital to guarantee the precision and quality of surgical interventions.
In her speech, Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire and President of the Children of Africa Foundation, said that this new collaboration between the two Foundations testified to “our shared commitment to improving the health of our children.”
Renewing her sincere thanks and gratitude to HRH Princess Lalla Asmae for the implementation of this program, Ouattara expressed her deep appreciation and gratitude to King Mohammed VI for His humanistic vision and the solidarity shown by the Sovereign towards the children of Africa, as well as for His important contribution to the construction of the Mother and Child Hospital in Bingerville, which has been providing enormous services to the Ivorian population for the past five years.
In his remarks, Karim Essakalli, coordinator of the Lalla Asmae Foundation, emphasized that Morocco, with its African roots and consistent commitment to the progress of Africa, has always made South-South cooperation a strategic choice.
This choice is driven by the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and is based on a comprehensive and balanced vision for the development of the African continent.
He added that the Lalla Asmae Foundation wishes to align itself with this Royal Vision by launching the “United, We Hear Each Other Better” program.
Essakalli highlighted the crucial importance of this initiative, emphasizing the transformative power of hearing in individuals’ lives. He noted that this collaboration transcends borders, covering various regions of Africa, from Côte d’Ivoire to Kenya, through Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Togo.
Speaking on this occasion, Aït Taleb highlighted the fruitful collaboration between Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire in the field of healthcare.
He stressed that this strong cooperation is in line with the sustainability goals, supporting the common vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Alassane Ouattara for the development and well-being of both countries.
He further stated that the Ministry, under the auspices of the Lalla Asmae Foundation, is more than ever ready to consolidate and strengthen this cooperation in the field of healthcare.
Particularly, he emphasized the importance of neonatal deafness screening as an essential tool for early detection, which can contribute to improving the social and academic development of children, reducing healthcare costs, and providing parents with peace of mind.
His Ivorian counterpart, Pierre Dimba, also pointed out that this significant operation will provide assistance to hearing-impaired children, applauding the commendable efforts made by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmae to support this segment of society.
“At the end of this program, we are convinced that thanks to the actions that will be taken, a strong partnership will be forged in this field,” he emphasized, noting that this partnership serves as great motivation for the Ivorian Ministry of Health in its quest to improve the quality of its services and offerings.
Vincent Alexis Gomes, former international director of Lions Clubs International, one of the program’s partners, expressed appreciation for the various social actions carried out by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmae in the social domain and her unwavering commitment to hearing-impaired children.
The ceremony featured a scientific presentation on cochlear implantation by Professor Abdelaziz Raji, Head of the ENT Department at the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech and a member of the scientific committee of the “United, We Hear Each Other Better” program.
It also included a program presentation by Karim Essakalli, coordinator of the Lalla Asmae Foundation.
On this occasion, Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmae and Dominique Ouattara presided over the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the Lalla Asmae Foundation and the Children of Africa Foundation.
The agreement was signed by El Abbès Bouhlal, Director of the Lalla Asmae Foundation, and Nadine Sangaré, National Director of the Children of Africa Foundation.
After the ceremony, Princess Lalla Asmae and the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, Dominique Ouattara, posed for a commemorative photo.
The partnership between the Lalla Asmae Foundation and the Children of Africa Foundation goes beyond medical procedures. It aims to touch lives, create smiles, and fulfill dreams.
Each child assisted by this initiative is a testament to the collective effort to build a more inclusive, caring, and better world.
Princess Lalla Asmae brings a motivating vision to the “United, We Hear Each Other Better” campaign, where commitment to the cause of children with severe or profound hearing loss translates into concrete actions.
As an emblematic and dedicated figure in the promotion of children’s well-being, Her Royal Highness embodies a source of inspiration for all those advocating for a better future for African children.
The First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire, Dominique Ouattara, known for her leadership and unwavering commitment to children’s well-being, has consistently shown her determination to ensure that every child, whether Ivorian or of another nationality, can benefit from clear hearing and the opportunities it brings.
She has been involved for over 25 years in protecting vulnerable children through the Children of Africa Foundation, which has undertaken numerous charitable actions for the well-being of children in Côte d’Ivoire and 12 other African countries through the centers it supports
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK
Africa emerged as the most successful confederation in the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with an unprecedented 90 percent of its representatives advancing to the Round of 32.
Nine of the 10 African teams that started the tournament secured places in the knockout phase, giving the Confederation of African Football (CAF) the highest qualification rate among all six continental confederations.
The African nations progressing to the Round of 32 are South Africa, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, Senegal, Egypt, Ghana, DR Congo and Algeria.
Only one African team failed to survive the group stage, underscoring the continent’s growing competitiveness on football’s biggest stage.
CAF’s 90 per cent success rate placed it ahead of South America’s CONMEBOL, which saw 83.33 per cent of its teams advance, and Europe’s UEFA, whose members recorded an 81.25 per cent qualification rate.
The figures represent a significant shift in the global football landscape, where European and South American nations have traditionally dominated World Cup competitions.
The expanded 48-team format appears to have provided African countries with greater opportunities to showcase their progress, and they responded with a series of impressive performances throughout the group stage.
Cape Verde emerged as one of the tournament’s surprise packages by reaching the knockout rounds for the first time, while South Africa, DR Congo and Algeria also celebrated historic advances.
Senegal made history by becoming the first African nation to score five goals in a World Cup match, while Morocco continued the momentum generated by their remarkable semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In contrast, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) endured a difficult campaign, with only 22.22 per cent of its teams progressing. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) recorded a 50 per cent qualification rate despite having the advantage of three host nations.
Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) failed to place any team in the Round of 32.
World Cup Round of 32 Qualification Rates by Confederation
- CAF (Africa): 90%
- CONMEBOL (South America): 83.33%
- UEFA (Europe): 81.25%
- CONCACAF (North and Central America/Caribbean): 50%
- AFC (Asia): 22.22%
- OFC (Oceania): 0%
The statistics show Africa’s growing influence in world football and raise hopes that the continent could produce its strongest collective performance ever in the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup.
With nine teams still in contention, Africa enters the Round of 32 with more representatives than any other confederation and a genuine opportunity to challenge for the latter stages of the tournament.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK.
Ecuador will look to continue their strong record against Concacaf opposition when they face Curaçao in a Group E encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The South Americans enter the match having won their last two World Cup meetings with teams from the Concacaf region and will be eager to maintain that trend as they chase a place in the knockout rounds.
For Curaçao, however, the fixture represents an opportunity to create history.
The Caribbean nation is one of the tournament’s debutants and is still searching for its first World Cup victory. After suffering a heavy defeat to Germany in their opening match, Curaçao will be desperate to demonstrate the resilience and determination that earned them a place at the expanded 48-team tournament.
A victory would make them the first of the World Cup 2026 newcomers to register a win and would provide a significant boost to their qualification hopes.
Ecuador are expected to rely on their experience at this level, but they know underestimating Curaçao could prove costly. The underdogs have already shown flashes of attacking quality despite their difficult introduction against Germany.
As the group stage begins to take shape, both teams understand the importance of securing points. Ecuador are chasing progression, while Curaçao are chasing history.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, NEW YORK.
As Morocco edge closer to the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026, captain Achraf Hakimi finds himself at the centre of two parallel narratives; one being football excellence and the other by legal proceedings that continue to cast a shadow over his career.
On the pitch, the 27-year-old has never appeared more influential.
Morocco’s 1-0 victory over Scotland not only moved the Atlas Lions within touching distance of the Round of 32, it also elevated Hakimi into the record books as the African player with the most FIFA World Cup appearances.
The Paris Saint-Germain defender made his 12th World Cup appearance, surpassing the previous mark jointly held by Cameroonian legend François Omam-Biyik and Ghana’s all-time leading scorer Asamoah Gyan.
It is a remarkable achievement for a player who made his World Cup debut as a teenager in Russia in 2018 and has since become one of the most recognisable faces of African football.
For Hakimi, the record is another milestone in a career already decorated with major club honours and individual accolades, including the African Footballer of the Year award. It also reinforces his status as one of the driving forces behind Morocco’s rise as a global football power.
His influence was most vividly illustrated at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Morocco became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. Hakimi’s composure, leadership and attacking flair helped transform the Atlas Lions into one of the competition’s most compelling stories.
Four years later, he remains the heartbeat of a Moroccan side determined to prove that their success in Qatar was no one-off achievement.
The signs have been encouraging. Morocco opened their campaign with an impressive 1-1 draw against five-time champions Brazil before defeating Scotland to move within a point of qualification. A draw against Haiti in their final group match would be enough to secure passage to the knockout rounds.
Yet while Hakimi’s football achievements continue to accumulate, events away from the game have ensured that public attention remains divided.
The defender is facing the prospect of a criminal trial in France following allegations of rape first reported in 2023. Hakimi has consistently denied wrongdoing and has sought to challenge the legal process through the courts.
French media reported this week that an appeals court rejected a challenge to his referral to criminal court, clearing the way for a future trial.
Responding publicly, Hakimi reiterated his innocence and welcomed the opportunity to present his version of events.
“Today, a story that isn’t mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth,” he wrote on social media platform X.
“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak out.”
The legal proceedings remain ongoing, and no trial date has been announced.
For now, Morocco’s captain appears determined to keep his focus on football.
That ability to compartmentalise challenges has become a defining characteristic of elite athletes, particularly those operating under intense global scrutiny. With millions watching every move, Hakimi has continued to perform at the highest level for both club and country.
His record-breaking appearance against Scotland demonstrated once again why he remains indispensable to Morocco’s ambitions. Whether surging down the flank, organising teammates or inspiring supporters, Hakimi has become the symbol of a generation that has redefined expectations for African football.
As the World Cup enters its decisive phase, Morocco’s hopes of another deep run rest heavily on the shoulders of their captain.
The legal questions surrounding Hakimi will ultimately be settled in court. On the field, however, his contribution to Moroccan football is already firmly established.
And as the Atlas Lions pursue another place in World Cup history, their captain continues to add chapters to a legacy that has made him one of Africa’s most accomplished footballers.
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