After winning widespread backing from the motor sport world, Dr. Mohammed Ben Sulayem is switching his attention from South America to Africa as he lays the foundations for a ten-year plan to drive the sport's global development.

Sulayem, who chairs a new task force set up by the FIA, has embarked on an intensive consultation process with motor sport stakeholders, and the focus switches from Argentina to Botswana later this month.

"I'm humbled by the support I've received from motorsport stakeholders and fans from around the world since my appointment," said Sulayem, who is due to address the FIA Confederation of African Countries later this month. "I have learnt of the challenges and opportunities from the clubs in South America, and it will be very interesting to see what similarities and differences arise when I meet the African clubs later this month."

Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, began his duties as chairman of the FIA's Motor Sport Development Task Force when he met with senior officials of the North and South American member clubs at their Latin American congress in Buenos Aires earlier this month.

Next month he will present a progress report to the World Motorsport Council in Paris when the other members of the task force will be announced.

"We're bringing together a team of hand-picked specialists from around the world who have skills and expertise in a range of areas, not just motor sport," said Sulayem, the FIA Vice President for Sport.

The task force will consult with more motor sport stakeholders, including manufacturers, the media, promoters, fans and FIA member clubs around the world.

It will present a strategic plan to develop and grow motorsport over the next ten years for approval at the FIA General Assembly towards the end of 2014.

This will be the first such plan in the 109-year history of the FIA, the global motoring organisation which represents 60 million road and track users from more than 230 member clubs.