The African Communications Agency (ACA) is convening the Third Africa's International Media Summit (AIMS) from 27-30 March 2008 in Tunis.  The event is a three-day critical discussion on issues relating to the proper and adequate dissemination of information about the 'New and Emerging Africa' and the re-branding of Africa.  The event will be hosted by the African Development Bank with the support of the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the Diaspora African Forum (DAF).

"How the Youth can help change the image of Africa in the re-branding process" is the theme of this year's AIMS in line with the AU Declaration of 2008 as the year of the youth.  To this end, UNICEF (Speak Africa) and Plan International will be sponsoring several youth presentations.  Stakeholders in the Media Industry, Senior Government Officials from across the continent, and from the African Diaspora, with responsibility for information, will participate in the Summit.

Proposed as a five-year process, AIMS' concept was borne out of a conscious commitment to the long overdue re-branding of Africa, in accordance with its emerging and promising renaissance process.  The Summit is also designed to encourage, inspire and learn from the African-base and international media in all its forms and to provide support information and assistance to African ministers of communication, information, public image, and tourism.

The ACA, with headquarters in Accra and offices in South Africa (Johannesburg) and Nigeria, focuses on establishing partnerships and developing initiatives to help change the negative perception of Africa created by the media and to introduce African businesses to the global marketplace.