On the fringes of the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, which took place in North Macedonia between 19 and 30 June 2024, the President of the International Handball Federation, Dr Hassan Moustafa, held several high-profile meetings in Skopje.

On Wednesday, 26 June and Thursday, 27 June, Dr Hassan Moustafa met with the newly-elected Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Prof Hristijan Mickoski, as well as the new Minister of Sport, Borko Ristovski, the President of the North Macedonia Handball Federation, Zhivko Mukaetov and their Secretary General, Filip Miloshevski.

North Macedonia’s interest in handball has been highlighted by the succesful organisation of the 2022 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship and the 2024 IHF Women’s Junior World Championship, as well as by Borko Ristovski’s appointment as the new Minister of Sport. Ristovski, 41, is a former handball player, who played 155 matches for the North Macedonia men’s senior national team, as well as for clubs like Vardar, Al-Ahly, VfL Gummersbach, Rhein-Neckar Löwen and FC Barcelona.

The participants addressed topics such as the development of handball in North Macedonia, while also exchanging their opinions. Furthermore, Dr Moustafa presented the projects of the International Handball Federation. The Minister of Sport of the Republic of North Macedonia also promised to coordinate the preparation of a four- to six-year plan to further develop handball in North Macedonia in cooperation with the IHF Office and the North Macedonia Handball Federation.

Another topic discussed was the preparation to host a senior event in North Macedonia, as the interest has been expressed for North Macedonia to apply  for the organisation of an edition of the IHF Senior World Championship in the future.