By ALOYS NIYOYITA
Associated Press Writer
BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter launched the construction of an office and a training center for the Football Federation of Burundi on Thursday.
Blatter, who flew to Rwanda later Thursday to inaugurate a soccer academy, has one day remaining on his five-nation African tour.
The projects in Burundi are part of the FIFA-sponsored Goal Program, which is aimed at strengthening impoverished national governing bodies.
The new office is expected to save the Burundian federation about US$1,200 (?930) in monthly rent, federation president Lydia Nsekera said. She did not say when the projects are expected to be completed.
With the Goal Program, "there is better organization. There is better training of the youth," Blatter said.
The Burundi program also includes salaries for coaches and professionals to run the federation's secretariat.
The US$700,000 (?542,739) facility in Rwanda was built with money from the Goal Program and US$250,000 (?193,835) from Rwanda's National Football Association.
The academy will house the association's headquarters and have a training center.
"This is a huge step we have made in football. We believe with proper utilization of this facility, Rwanda's football will move to a higher level by having better players," federation president Gen. Caesar Kayizari said.
Blatter's five-day tour began in Chad on Sunday and continued to the Central African Republic and Congo before arriving in Burundi.
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Associated Press writer Edward Rwema contributed to this report from Kigali, Rwanda.
