3rd African Media Convention launch at the College and Physicians

The African Media Convention is currently the largest gathering of media stakeholders and policymakers in the continent. 

The Convention, an initiative of The African Editors’ Forum (TAEF) is designed to safeguard the hard-won media freedoms and safety of journalists on the continent. The maiden edition of the Convention was held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2022.

Remarks by GJA President Albert Dwumfour at the Launch of the Local Organising Committee for the 3rd African Media Convention at the College and Physicians on Wednesday, December 20, 2023

The Hon. Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Yaw Boadua Ayeboafo

President of PRINPAG, Andrew Edwin Arthur

Heads of Media Institutions

Colleague journalists

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

I welcome everyone to the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 3rd African Media Convention, scheduled to take place here in Accra in May 2024.

Today is a significant day for the media community as it signifies a crucial milestone in our preparations for hosting a prominent event for African journalists and media organizations.

Today’s event demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that next year’s African Media Convention is exceptionally well-organized. We are treating this matter seriously and leaving no room for complacency.

Ladies and gentlemen,  the genesis of Ghana hosting the AMC all began in Lusaka, Zambia. It is essential to mention that the successful bid of the GJA to host the next Convention was announced during the Second Africa Media Convention which was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 11 – 13 May 2023 of which a 4-member delegation from the GJA attended. They included my good self as leader of the delegation, Rebecca Ekpe, Abdul Suala, and  Ewura Ama Smith.

As mentioned previously in various forums, the conference coincides with the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Ghana Journalists Association, so, it holds great significance and historical value.

 The first Convention was hosted by the East African Editors’ Forum in Arusha, Tanzania while the second edition of the Convention was hosted by the Southern Africa Editors’ Forum (SAEF).

The African Media Convention is currently the largest gathering of media stakeholders and policymakers in the continent. 

The Convention, an initiative of The African Editors’ Forum (TAEF) is designed to safeguard the hard-won media freedoms and safety of journalists on the continent. The maiden edition of the Convention was held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2022.

 The Convention brings together media experts, scholars, students, journalists, 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 impede freedom of expression and freedom of the media, media viability and sustainability as well as the safety and security of journalists. 

The convention will comprise 600 international delegates and 400 delegates drawn from the African Union Commission, Governments, Media and Network Associations, Civil Society, the Diplomatic corps, NGOs, researchers and academia, and bilateral and international development partners, including the UN entities.

The third convention will align with the global theme with a focus on the following thematic areas: Freedom Of Expression, Sustainable Development, And Environmental Crises

Objectives of the 3rd AFRICAN MEDIA CONVENTION

The 3rd African Media Conference marking World Press Freedom Day 2024, is an important opportunity for the international community to collectively reflect on these multidimensional challenges, the fundamental role of journalism, and the transformative power that reliable information has to protect our planet, achieve sustainable development, and consolidate democracies.

It will serve as a platform to:

• Assess and discuss the situation of the right to press freedom globally, identifying areas where journalists face repression, violence, or censorship.
• Establish and strengthen ties between different actors, such as media organizations, NGOs, governments, and international bodies, to work together to promote and protect the right to press freedom.
• Reaffirm our commitments to freedom of expression and press freedom as human rights enshrined in various international instruments, recognizing their importance for the strengthening of democratic societies.
• Call for the importance of reliable and accurate information, especially that which denounces and investigates the environmental crisis and its effects.
• Raise awareness on the urgency to defend the media from attacks on their independence, freedom, and pluralism and recall the Windhoek+30 Declaration on information as a common good.
• Pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives and those who fight for their freedom in the line of duty.
• Raise awareness about the violence faced by journalists and communication workers when promoting sustainable development and environmental protection, encouraging a gender-responsive perspective that promotes non-sexist journalistic discourse.
• Promote professional journalism that discusses the eradication of all types of discrimination and biases against women.

Benefits to Ghana and journalists

• Offer network opportunities for journalists
• Boost tourism and once again project Ghana as a beacon of democracy in Africa
• Expose Ghana to the rest of Africa and the world
• Economic boom as over 600 participants will converge in Accra  and will make use of local products and services  
• Will attract foreign investors

Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to emphasize that Ghana’s successful bid was made possible due to the substantial support from the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, and the Ministry of Information led by Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who has been involved in the bidding process from the very beginning.

We express our profound gratitude to the President for agreeing to open the Conference on May 15th, 2024, and closing it on May 17th.

It is vital to mention that the President has pledged that his Government will assume the financial responsibility of hosting this significant event.

Mr Abdourahamane Diallo, UNESCO’s Ghana Country Representative, and Abdul Hamid Yakubu, Programme Officer, Communication and Information at the UNESCO Accra office, Ghana’s High Commissioner to  Zambia, Madam Khadija Iddrisu, also played huge roles in our successful bid

Ladies and Gentlemen,  I believe our LOC  is capable of delivering and making sure we have a very successful African Media Convention in 2024.

With the formation of the AMC LOC whose members are experienced Professionals with great depth of knowledge in the task ahead, I have a strong conviction that Ghana’s name will be on the world stage at the end of the event.

I would like to give the assurance that the GJA will give the LOC the necessary support for them to deliver with ease.

I want to state that in January 2024, the LOC  will hold a press briefing to announce the venue for the event and other relevant information including when and how to apply to part of the convention.

I also take this opportunity to call on journalists and media houses to take a keen interest in this event as expands the frontiers of press freedom as well as builds the capacities of journalists.

Before I resume my seat, I would like to remind all journalists that our 2nd annual Dinner Night comes off tomorrow at the Ghana International Press Center. The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo was the Special Guest of Honour.