It's always enjoyable to attend an event such as the Africa International Sports Convention (CISA) with a feeling that steps have been taken in the right direction, especially for a continent plagued by difficulties on many levels for such a long time. 

And what better place to host such a convention than the picturesque Rwandan capital of Kigali. The beautiful landscape and superb facilities subvert many people's views of Africa, and even holding an event such as this one signals Rwanda's intentions across the globe, and not just in the sporting arena.

The power of sport to bring about social and economic change cannot be underestimated, and this was a clear message throughout the event.

In a casual conversation by the pool at the stunning Lemigo Hotel, Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee (RNOSC) President Robert Bayigamba spoke passionately about how sport has helped the country get over the tragic and horrifying genocide in 1994, where over half-a-million Tutsis were brutally killed in cold blood.

Bayigamba then detailed his own moving story the following day, documenting his survival from the genocide, which drew a heartfelt round of applause from those in attendance.

The topic was impossible to avoid, yet rather than dwell on a period that resonates with the entire world, the Convention focused on the future ahead, using sport as an integral tool to build on their recovery from their haunting past.

The RNOSC produced a clear strategy in order to enhance their sporting development, but that wasn't the only impressive presentation as a plethora of distinguished speakers, including outgoing International Association of Athletics Federations President Lamine Diack and honorary International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and honorary International Swimming Federation President Mustapha Larfaoui, all shared the common belief that by working together, African sport will continue to surprise and delight in equal measure.

RNOSC President Robert Bayigamba (left), a survivor of the genocide, outlined ambitous plans heavily populated with enthusiasm and passion at the CISA Convention ©ITG



Also present was the chair of the IOC's Athletes' Commission Claudia Bokel, who revelled in a visit to a local school where they were holding an Olympic-themed day to coincide with CISA.

That event at the Convention came as a surprise after I was whisked off swiftly in a hastily-arranged bus, but it proved to be a hugely enlightening experience.

I even had to sign autographs for the children at Green Hills Academy - they don't know I'm just a journalist.

It was also enlightening to get a better understanding of sport in a continent which has overcome severe issues such as apartheid and the aforementioned genocide in a slightly murky and bleak history, and the speakers and various other dignitaries who came to Kigali left a lasting impression.

The Convention itself included several productive discussions on topics ranging from celebrating the achievements of African sporting leaders, such as Diack, and other talks were based on the African Games and how best to develop sporting administration throughout the continent.

For so long, it is fair to say Africa has languished behind the other continents in terms of sporting development, which is why an event such as this can be crucial for their future.

Of course, the horizon isn't completely full of sunshine and, while an Olympic and Paralympic Games in Africa remains an outside prospect, it is now up to the powers that be within African sport to ensure that the fruitful debates that have taken place don't prove to be just that.

They need to use CISA as a platform to spread their plans and ideas across Africa if they are to achieve their ultimate dream.

Yet even this issue has caused divisions, with Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, President of the Confederation of Athletics Associations (CAA), believing Africa is ready to stage the grandest event of them all, in direct conflict with the opinion of Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) President Lassana Palenfo, who cited problems such as lack of water and hunger as reasons for his view that an African Olympic Games would be "almost impossible",

Strong rumours have reared their head as of late that South Africa was preparing to launch an historic nationwide bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, although these ambitions were dealt a heavy blow when the country's Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula exclusively told insidethegames that any bid for the 2024 Games was "unrealistic".

insidethegames reporter Liam Morgan (centre) had the opportunity to meet with CAA President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum (left) and former marathon world record holder Tegla Loroupe (right) in Kigali during the Africa International Sports Convention ©ITG



From glass half-empty to glass half-full, however, as Durban looks a sure bet to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games following the withdrawal of Edmonton their only opposition in the race, and after that event we will have a much clearer idea as to whether an African Olympics is indeed feasible.

While the Convention itself was rife with optimism for the future of the African Olympic Movement, the continent's sports leaders were not kidding themselves that there are not still constant problems, such as in-fighting between sporting federations and political issues that must be settled in order for them to move forward.

The issue of the All African Games in Brazzaville, an event littered with disorganisation and political disagreements, lingered under the surface, a clear undertone of disappointment at the way they have been arranged and handled present among many of the attendees.

Strangely, ANOCA has not organised the African Games, which will take place in Congo's capital this September as this job instead fell to the Sports Council of the African Union, a body comprised of 54 African states.

The powers that be at ANOCA have insisted the 2015 edition will be the last time this happens, but if they can't come to an agreement in future, an Olympic Games in Africa remains a distant dream.

The convention also included an African sports journalists seminar where writers from across the continent attempted to improve their skills ©ITG



Other problems raised include those by Malboum and Fekrou Kidane, a former IOC chief of staff now working as a senior adviser for the African Football Confederation, who both lamented the influence of football across the continent.

It seems they feel the prominence of one of the world's premier sports in Africa is holding the progression of others back as a lot of the available funds make their way into the pocket of the beautiful game.

Not so beautiful for many of the African sports leaders at CISA, however.

Perhaps they would have no issue with the sport if the money was used to enhance the African leagues themselves but that appears to be far from the case, and although the continent can claim many illustrious exports, including the likes of Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Manchester City's Yaya Toure, there exists a clear antipathy towards football.

This may appear surprising to many after South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but their motives are opaque - they all crave a united Africa in terms of sport.

These issues and complications, largely synonymous of sport not just in Africa but also across the world, are however mere blots on what is a hugely bright and colourful canvas.

There will always be those who criticise for the sake of criticising, and while it remains to be seen whether the topics discussed here are mere dreams and theories, you can be assured that Africa is going places at a sporting level, as long as they can rid themselves of their current difficulties.

The fact remains that they have overcome enough political and social impediments already, so a few disagreements within the vast sporting arena should prove to be mere fleeting obstacles that become more conquerable as the years go by.

But of course things change and there can be no guarantees that the sessions at CISA will yield results, yet one aspect that will never be altered is the breathtaking Rwandan capital city, synonymous with the country's progression since the genocide.

They call Rwanda the "land of a 1,000 hills" and on a personal level, I will leave Kigali with 1,000 memories.

Liam Morgan is a Junior Reporter for insidethegames. To follow him on Twitter click here.