The African Taekwondo Union has opened its new headquarters in Niamey ©Le Sahel

The African Taekwondo Union (AFTU) has opened its new headquarters in the Niger capital of Niamey during a meeting of the body's Executive Council chaired by the country's Sports Minister Sekou Doro Adamou.

The event opening was attended by AFTU President Idé Issaka World Taekwondo secretary general Seo Jeong-kang, Nigerien Taekwondo Federation President Soumana Sanda, a representative from the Olympic Committee of Niger, and several members of the ATU Executive Council.

"I am particularly honoured but the welcome given to Niamey where we have the joy of inaugurating a new headquarters for the African Union of Taekwondo generously made available to us by the Nigerien state and which will be inaugurated on the eve of Niger's Independence Day," said Issaka.

"It gives us the opportunity to express out heartfelt thanks for the support of World Taekwondo in the accomplishment of our programmes.

"I would like to reiterate my confidence in all members of the Council for their unwavering commitment.

"I encourage them to strengthen the unity of our confederation and thus purse the ideals left by our late President General Ahmed Fouly."

Adamou thanked delegates for helping to elect Issaka as AFTU President and reminded participants of his career awards, which include the golden necklace of the Association of National Olympic Committee and the officer's medals of the national orders of the Ivory Coast.

He finished with optimism for the AFTU's future in Niger and urged those at the meeting to strive to develop the organisation.

"This reminder is all the more necessary as the key word of success remains today strategic prevention, a guarantee of unity in the pursuit of objectives," said Amadou.

Niger's most decorated Olympian is taekwondoin Abdoul Razak Issoufou, winner of the Olympic silver medal in the men's over-80-kilograms tournament at Rio 2016.