ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, came alive with music, culture and robust conversations on Tuesday, as Francophone stakeholders gathered to celebrate the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in observance of the 10th Edition Media and Stakeholders’ Parley, following the first Road to 10th AFRIMA engagement held last month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The Abidjan parley, the second stop on the global build-up to the landmark 10th edition, sent a clear message that the city was ready to host a future edition of Africa’s global music awards.
The high-level engagement drew strong participation from government officials, culture industry leaders, artistes and media representatives, underlining Abidjan’s ambition to become a key hub for AFRIMA activities in Francophone Africa.
Deputy Director General of the Ivorian Bureau of Copyright (BURIDA), Serge Akpatou, said: “AFRIMA adds real value to Africa’s creative ecosystem. It promotes our artistes, strengthens intellectual property awareness and connects us to the rest of the world.
Abidjan has the capacity and the cultural depth to host a future edition, and we sincerely hope that opportunity will come.”
In the same vein, the Representative of the Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Mr Hein Sie, described AFRIMA as a powerful instrument of cultural diplomacy and economic growth.
Leading the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA at the parley were Associate Producer, Victoria Nkong, and International Jury Member, Messie Mboukou.
They were joined by Ivorian winners of the 9th AFRIMA, notably Didi B (Best African Lyricist/Rapper), Milo (Best Male African Inspirational Music), Morijah (Best Female African Inspirational Music), Team Paiya (Best African Duo, Group, or Band) as well as Axel Merryl (Best African Contemporary) from Republic of Benin, and DJ Moh Green (Best African DJ) from Algeria.
In his welcome remarks, Mboukou, who is from Congo Brazzaville and represents Central Africa on the AFRIMA International Jury, said: “This gathering is not only about celebration. It is about dialogue, transparency and building stronger bridges between artistes, the media, cultural institutions, policy makers and AFRIMA.”
