Challenges

One of the major barriers to achieving prosperity in Africa is a lack of an African media sector that is unified and managed by Africans. African media should report on the aspirations of African nations, reflect their image and address their concerns from a genuine African perspective.

Media rights and freedom of expression in Africa are expanding progressively, but the continent has not yet reached a stage where they are fully and adequately granted. Despite the role increasingly played by media in creating an informed citizenry eager to participate in decision-making, the situation remains precarious due to political unrest and insecurity in many countries.

Toward a Solution

This programme acknowledges the vital role played by African media in addressing obstacles to the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as their role in raising public awareness of security concerns, mobilizing efforts to combat terrorism and extremism and promoting a holistic approach to sustainable development.

In 2020, 34?African media figures attended workshops organized by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD). Topics included the role of the media in supporting African relations, the impact of media on security and development, and the position of African media on women’s empowerment. The main goal was to emphasize the role of African media in creating and promoting a unified African identity.

The programme also included seminars, events and meetings with official dignitaries and field visits in Egypt. Participants met with religious leaders to discuss spreading a culture of tolerance and living in harmony; ending bloodshed from wars and conflicts; addressing hate, intolerance, violence and extremism; protecting the environment and the rights of women; building a moral society; and achieving true citizenship for all. They also met with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to learn about imam training programmes in an effort to address misconceptions about Islam spread by terrorist groups. Although Christians are a minority in Egypt, religious tolerance is seen as a hallmark, as evidenced by the simultaneous inaugurations of the Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque and the Cathedral of the Nativity in the new administrative capital east of Cairo in January?2019.

Participants also visited the Egyptian Media Production City, Nasser Military Academy, the Egyptian Police Academy, the National Training Academy, the Suez Canal, the new administrative capital and British and German universities in Egypt to learn about efforts to achieve sustainable development in the fields of education, women’s empowerment, industry and exports and how to transfer these experiences to African partner countries.

Key recommendations from the workshops:

• Recognize that African media could play a significant role in promoting a positive image of African women, addressing their issues and supporting empowerment efforts at all levels.
• Encourage media to produce constructive and objective ideas and initiatives to help decision-makers face challenges and create positive opportunities for sustainable development. In this regard, a platform was created to facilitate the exchange of experiences and expertise between Egyptian and African media. It serves as a network for media executives to enhance cooperation in achieving the Agenda?2063 of the African Union, in light of the important role that media play in increasing community awareness of development challenges and constraints in African countries.
• Emphasize the role of the African media in constructing and promoting a unified African identity and highlighting the role of civil society in enriching dialogue among African nations.
• Agree on the need to establish a unified network of African media managed by Africans. In that connection, a decision was made to revitalize the role played by Shabaket Al Eza’at Al Mowagaha, the Egyptian overseas broadcasting network, which was created in 1953 to support African countries in their struggle for independence. It will now play a pivotal role in supporting African nations in achieving sustainable development and will be broadcasting in seven different languages to reach African citizens throughout the continent.

Since its inception, EAPD has always stood by its commitments and supported partnerships to improve coordination, integration and communication among African media to promote sustainable development objectives that would fulfill the aspirations of African peoples.