Rugby Africa to continue groundbreaking partnership with APO Group

After one year of successful collaboration, World Rugby’s African association will extend their exclusive alliance with APO Group until 2023

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 1, 2019/ -- APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service in Africa and the Middle East, and World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, today announced an extension to their partnership making APO Group the main Official Sponsor of Rugby Africa, the highest level of sponsorship, until 2023.

The announcement was made during the Rugby Africa Summit in Marrakech, Morocco.

The two organizations began their close collaboration in 2017 with joint initiatives to promote African rugby on the continent and internationally, supporting the rapid growth of the sport.

Rugby is now one of the most popular sports worldwide. After the summer Olympic Games and the football World Cup, the Rugby World Cup is the third largest sporting event in the world, attracting 2.6 billion viewers in over 200 countries. The increased interest in rugby is pushing federations to consider a new format for future World Cups, with more teams involved. This is positive news for the game in Africa as it means more of the developing rugby nations on the continent will have a chance to qualify.

APO Group will remain the main Official Sponsor of World Rugby’s African Association, Rugby Africa until the end of 2022 and will be associated with major international competitions throughout the continent and beyond, including the Africa Rugby 7s tournament - which is a qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.

Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group, said: "Africa’s population will double by 2050 and will represent 40% of humanity in 2100, so it represents an essential challenge for all international sports federations, starting with rugby - whose number of players has more than tripled in recent years. This partnership extension confirms our commitment to Rugby Africa and demonstrates our desire to support the growing development of the sport. Rugby embodies the values that are rooted in the DNA of APO Group such as team spirit and commitment, but also the desire to surpass oneself and to make a difference as a community."

Abdelaziz Bougja, outgoing president of Rugby Africa added: "Our partnership with APO Group has proved extremely successful and it is only natural that we have decided to extend it until 2023. The impact of the APO Group’s work has been amazing and has helped us considerably to raise the profile of African rugby. Having such an experienced partner is invaluable in supporting us in our efforts to improve our visibility and promote our intercountry competitions worldwide. Our partnership also reflect the values and ambitions shared by our two organizations."

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

Media Contact:

Caroline Guilhaume

Head of Media Relations

Email: gcaroline@apo-opa.org

Phone: +41 432 152 100

About APO Group:

Founded in 2007, APO Group (www.APO-opa.com) is the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service in Africa and the Middle East. We assist private and public organizations in sharpening their reputation and increasing their brand equity in target countries. As trusted partner, our role is to leverage the power of media and build bespoke strategies that enable organizations to produce a real and measurable impact in Africa and the Middle East and outside the regional frontiers. The trust and recognition that have been granted to APO Group by global and multinational companies, governments and NGOs inspires us to continuously enhance our value proposition within Africa & Middle East to better cater to our clients’ needs. Among our prestigious clients: Facebook, Dangote Group, GE, Uber, Microsoft, Nokia, Mara Group, PwC, DHL, Marriott Group, Sage, Ecobank, Iflix, Jumia, Samsung, Total, Merck, Société Générale, L'Oréal, Oracle, Philips, Barclays, MoneyGram, Ernst & Young, Orange ...

Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland | Offices in Senegal, Dubai and Hong Kong

For further information, please visit our website: www.APO-opa.com

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