Communique of the African Editors

Pretoria, 26 October 2016 - African editors and the African Union Commission (AUC) have concluded a successful two-day working session under the theme:  Deepening Africa’s Narrative and Capacities to Deliver Agenda 2063 from which has laid down concrete steps towards the strengthening of relations between the media on the continent and the African Union.

AUC chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Jovial Rantao, Chairperson of the African Editors Forum (TAEF) led delegates in the two-day conference held in Pretoria, South Africa, which was a follow-up to a founding event held in Kigali three months ago.

One of the major agreements is how the AUC and members of The African Editors Forum would, using their channels and, in particular, the ever-growing digital media, help popularize Agenda 2063, the bold plan being implemented by the AU and its member states to build the Africa of our dreams. Editors committed themselves to assist people across the length and breadth of the continent to understand Agenda 2063 but also highlighted to need for African governments to create space for the media generally, but digital journalists and bloggers specifically, to operate freely.

TAEF and AU delegates at the meeting were brutally but constructively frank, identifying impediments to a vibrant Africa media and came up with proposed solutions to strengthen the media and AUC’s communications capacity. A worksheet with identifiable targets as well as deadlines is being finalized and will be made public soon.

Editors and the AU plan to meet again in January 2017 in a session dedicated towards the utilization of digital platforms such as twitter, facebook, Instagram, blogging etc to enhance the free exchange of information amongst African media practitioners with specific reference to the work of the AU. A separate special session is also being planned to look at women and the media.

The African Editors Forum

Pretoria, 26 October 2016