Chief executives from more than 30 African media organizations meeting in Dakar on November 4 and 5 issued a call for a stronger push for media development in Africa and agreed to collaborate so that media can play a more proactive role in Africa's development.
"The future of media in Africa lies in convergence and partnerships," said Linus Gitahi, CEO of the Nation Media Group in Kenya. "We cannot wish away an idea whose time has come."
The event "African Media Leaders Forum: Shaping the Future of Africa's Media," was co-sponsored by AllAfrica Global Media, the largest electronic distributor of news from and about Africa, and the World Bank. Additional sponsorship was provided by Ecobank, the Gates Foundation and Coca Cola.
"Media constitute an essential part of the dialogue on development in Africa," said Eric Chinje, manager for Africa Region External Affairs at the World Bank. "The Forum was an important opportunity to engage media leaders and help place media at the heart of the development process in Africa."
The "Dakar Declaration" issued by African media leaders agreed to:
- Strengthen collaboration, share experiences and content, and adopt international norms of good corporate governance and sound management of media organizations;
- Invest in strengthening the skills and knowledge of media professionals and journalists;
- Develop a charter for African Media Leaders;
- Support establishment of the African Media Initiative (AMI) as a permanent corporate entity in Africa to, among others, support the activities of AMLF and serve as a resource for media development across the continent.
"The Forum, the first of its kind, was a great success," said Amadou Mahtar Ba, president of AllAfrica, which operates the popular allAfrica.com site, the leading online source of Africa news and information. "The far-reaching Dakar Declaration will help to strengthen media development efforts across Africa, and contribute to journalistic excellence on the continent."
The Second Forum will be hosted by the Nation Media Group in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2009.
Dakar Declaration - Shaping the Future of African Media
