On August 5, Head of Republic of Kalmykia, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov arrived on a working visit to Afghanistan, where in Kabul he met with the President of Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee Mr. Zahir Aghabr, the President of Afghan National Chess Federation Mr. Mahmood Hanif, chess and business representatives of the country.

At the meeting the President of Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee expressed gratitude to the FIDE President, indicating that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is the 3rd leader of the International Sports Organization who visited Afghanistan.

The main points of the meeting – development of chess in Afghanistan, the interaction between FIDE and sports bodies of Afghanistan, training of arbiters, implementation of FIDE program “Chess in Schools” in Afghanistan.

The National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan has allocated an area for the construction of a chess center!  FIDE President has visited the area where he got acquainted with the sketches of the project. At the press conference for the Afghan media Kirsan Ilyumzhinov replied to numerous questions, after which he met with d’chargé d’affaires ad interim Mr. Alexander Vladov, as well as with the Afghan National Chess team.

The key moment of the FIDE President’s visit to Dubai has become his press-conference in Dubai Press Club-Media City, with the participation of the Arab Chess Federation President Ibrahim Al Bannai and H.H. Sheikh Butti Bin Suhail Al Maktoum.

During the press-conference Mr. Ilyumzhinov has appreciated the progress in the chess development in the UAE as well as a large number of the official events held in this country lately.  He thanked Mr. Al Bannai for his efforts in promoting chess in the Arab countries.

During the meetings preceding the press-conference there have been discussions on the goals and tasks of FIDE in respect of the world chess development.

In this connection the FIDE President has invited Sheikh Butti to join the FIDE family and offered him a position of the FIDE CEO on Commercial Affairs. Sheikh Butti has graciously accepted the proposal for this prestigious position and expressed his gratitude.

Besides, the FIDE President also outlined the three main aspects of the FIDE activities for the next four years – Chess in Schools, preparation of trainers and arbiters and CACDEC. The UAE has hosted quite a few top chess events, among them two meetings of the FIDE Presidential Board (2001, 2006), FIDE Grand Prix (2002), Asian Youth Championships (2007) and Asian Club Cup (2008).