The deadline is not yet known, but a network of African journalists covering environmental and climate issues should soon be launched. This is what emerged from the very first “Days of Media and Journalism in Africa (dubbed JMJA in French)” held from the 14th to the 16th of October 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. The future network is made up of journalists who have participated in the Days of Media and Journalism in Africa, as well as other African journalists who have expressed, or will express, their willingness to join. With the support of the partners, the journalists of this network will continue to cover current events related to environmental protection and climate change in Africa.
The initiative is led by Africa 21 and it aims in particular at the sustainability of the training provided during the “Media and Journalism Days in Africa”. During two working days, 14 journalists from Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Madagascar, Rwanda, Senegal, Senegal and Tunisia were built by experts from the World Meteorological Organization and UN agencies. The climate emergency was thus addressed from several angles: the effects of climate change on the African continent in general, scientific data related to climate change, the sociological and economic consequences of climate change and political aspects.
After this first experience, Africa 21, a kind of think tank or lobby, is already thinking about the next edition of the Days of Media and Journalism in Africa. It will only concern journalists from English-speaking African countries.
Boris Ngounou