African media asked to focus on development

Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has said news organisations on the African continent ought to give greater emphasis to development issues that have been overshadowed by negative publicity.

Ms Gurib-Fakim asked media owners and practitioners, attending the seventh Media Leaders Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa to be active in tackling development topics and use their platform to generate local solutions as they nurture citizen engagement.

“Become activists in the search for Africa-centric development solutions that are economically viable, socially relevant and environmentally benign,” she said at the forum that brought together over 600 participants from across the continent.

Bineta Diop, African Union Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, called on the media to serve as a catalyst for change.

The forum culminated with the first edition of the Zimeo Excellence in Journalism Award ceremony that saw 16 journalists from across the continent, among them four Kenyans, recognised.