Mr. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, Minister of Sports and Physical Education looks on Dec 7, 2021 to the Africa Cup of Nations trophy presented today in Yaounde by the General Manager of Total Energie in Cameroon Adrien Bechonnet. (DANIEL BELOUMOU OLOMO / AFP)

YAOUNDE - The Africa Cup of Nations trophy arrived host country Cameroon on Tuesday.

The coveted trophy arrived at the capital Yaounde and was unveiled by the country's Minister of Sport and Physical education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi and was later presented to Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute.

AFCON will take place in Cameroon from Jan 9 to Feb 6 next year

"We are extremely pleased to welcome the trophy in our country. The presence of the AFCON trophy here is proof that we are ready, and CAF has given us the opportunity to celebrate Africa through," Kombi said after receiving the trophy from CAF's Director of AFCON Tournament during a solemn ceremony in Yaounde.

The trophy is scheduled to tour the five cities that will stage AFCON matches including Yaounde, Douala, Bafoussam, Garoua and Limbe.

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"We want to use this tour to sensitize Cameroonians on the importance of hosting AFCON and remind them that visitors from 23 African countries will be spending time with them from January to February next year and they should welcome them and treat them well," Jones Budi, a sports official told Xinhua during the presentation of the trophy.

AFCON will take place in Cameroon from Jan 9 to Feb 6 next year.