The third edition of the African Media Convention is scheduled to hold from May 15 to 17, 2024 in Accra, Ghana.
With the theme, ‘Freedom of Expression, Sustainable Development, and Environmental Crises,’ the conversation will discuss trends that impede freedom of expression and freedom of the media, media viability and sustainability, as well as the safety and security of journalists.
The successful bid of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to host the convention was announced at the Second Africa Media Convention, which held in Lusaka, Zambia from May 11 to 13, 2023.
The convention is currently the largest gathering of media stakeholders and policy makers in the continent. An initiative of The African Editors’ Forum (TAEF), it is designed to safeguard media freedoms and safety of journalists on the continent.
The maiden edition of the convention was held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2022. The event brings together media experts, scholars, students, journalists, unions and associations, editors, public and private sector, including cooperating partners from around the African continent and beyond as well as representatives from UNESCO and the African Union Commission.
It is a moment of reflection by African media stakeholders on the revolving trends that hinder freedom of expression, freedom of the media, media viability and sustainability as well as the safety and security of journalists.
Speaking during the second African Media Convention, the President of the GJA, Albert Dwumfour, said Ghana is ready and prepared to host the third convention in Accra in 2024.
“I must state that the Government of Ghana has given us their commitment and full assurance that it will support the hosting of this event, just as it did in 2018 when Accra hosted the Global Press Freedom Day,” he said.
He further noted that Ghana’s performances on the 2018 -2020 World Press Freedom Index were remarkable, ranking third in Africa in 2018, first in 2019 and third again in 2020. Ghana is among the freest countries in Africa as far as freedom and independence of the media is concerned.
The GJA will be the first journalists’ association to host this event. The first Convention was hosted by the East African Editors’ Forum in Arusha, Tanzania and the second edition of the Convention hosted by the Southern Africa Editors’ Forum (SAEF).
The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who launched the convention and inaugurated the 18-member LOC to see to the organisation of the convention, also said the event should focus on how to combat misinformation on the continent’s social media platforms, especially in the face of threats to democracy, and to collaborate and deepen content creation designed to positively programme Africa’s Gen Zs.
“The African Media Convention offers a refreshing platform that has the potential to change this narrative and lead us to work together to make significant impact in our industry on the continental level,” he stated.
The convention, he said, would generate a coalition of ideas, support systems and actors to shape the future of the media in Africa in the future.
He further stated, “the convergence of Africa’s media elite should give us an opportunity to, among others, discuss how to promote a positive African narrative globally, which will lead to attracting more positive interest in Africa.”
About 600 international delegates from 50 African countries are expected to participate, including delegates from the African Union Commission, civil society organisations, the diplomatic corps, non-governmental organisations, researchers and academia, among others.
