Day: February 16, 2023

MOSCOW— In late January and early February 2023, the Department of Global Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University held two roundtable discussions on journalism and media in Africa and Russia.

The events were organized with the support of the Secretariat of the “Russia-Africa Partnership Forum”, the Department of Global Studies, the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Public Diplomacy Fund, the Commission for Public Security and Public Diplomacy of the Council on Nationalities under the Moscow Government, as well as the African Diasporas in Russia.

The discussion participants noted a positive shift in the media coverage in Russia and Africa, as well as an increased interest of Russian and African audiences in materials about the life, traditions, political structure, tourism, and scientific, cultural and sports achievements of Africa and Russia. Experts from different countries shared the African and Russian experience of public and private support for the print press, cinema, TV broadcasting, and Internet media.

The Ambassadors of South Africa and Sudan, as well as representatives of many embassies of African countries, addressed the Russian-African Club meetings. They all highlighted the importance of such events in strengthening Russian-African relations. The diplomats expressed their hope that the presence of Russian media on the African continent would only increase.

Vasily Pushkov, Director of the International Cooperation Directorate of Russia Today Media Group, stressed in his report that over the past two years, there has been a noticeable expansion of the RT channel’s broadcasting to African countries in several languages. He spoke about unlocking new opportunities, in particular the upcoming opening of a new editorial centre in Addis Ababa.

Alexei Krasilnikov and Tatyana Ladyaeva, observers of Radio Sputnik, Russia Today, shared their plans for the coming years to make Africa a priority information destination, increase broadcasting in different languages, and build up the audience.

Irina Mandrykina, Head of TASS Social and International Projects, presented their research “Dynamics of African issues coverage on TASS resources: main topics in 2022”, which confirms the positive dynamics of the Russian media information activities.

Luis Gouend from Cameroon expressed the opinion that the task of both Russian and African media is to ensure a deeper coverage of the countries’ life from the inside, and show the beauty and diversity of cultures and traditions of peoples.

According to E. V. Abov, Member of the Supervisory Board of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), the main role in supporting the media and establishing cooperation should be played by state-owned media, since they enjoy advantages in state funding, as well as they have experience and mechanisms for successful operation.

Banda Kani from Cameroon, a representative of Pan-African Television Africa-Media and founder of Pan-African Debates, told about cooperation with the country’s political authorities and about the compromise that must be sought between objective reporting and the public opinion formation in coherence with the political course of the leadership. His colleague and compatriot Mohammad Bashir Ladan shared his opinion that the media cooperation movement must be bidirectional. There is a need to provide each other with content and opportunities for colleagues and experts from other countries to express their views.

SputnikNews International journalist Tabiso Lehoko from South Africa, multimedia journalist Malimo Wilson from Tanzania, Aliou Tounkara, a Member of Mali’s National Parliament, and his compatriot, opinion leader Issa Diawara, as well as other participants pointed out the increased interest of the African population in Russia. Russian media should make the most of this opportunity by building up objective and positive Russian content.

The founder, owner and CEO of several news companies in Africa, Daraa Sunny Ibrahim from Ghana, stressed, “The days when we were only listening to Western media are over. Now Russia can accomplish so much. For many decades, Russia has been training thousands of African specialists in various fields – doctors, engineers, etc. It is necessary to strengthen Russia’s informational influence in Africa.

Anna Lisina, Editor-in-Chief of the TV BRICS website, invited the national media in Africa to a multi-format exchange of content for the international cooperation between the BRICS and African states.

Colleagues from Algeria – Mohamed Kursi, Director General of the daily El Moubjahid, and Salim Aggar, Director General of the Algerian international channel AL24news, also emphasized the importance of mutual exchange with communication platforms, experience and information.

Publications Director at Le Panafricain Abdu Karim from Senegal believes that Russian media are now becoming increasingly famous in African countries. We need to maintain this momentum and deepen our partnerships not only with major African media but also with pan-African media holdings.

Igor Sid, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Africana.ru portal and Head of the Travel Institute Congress-Expedition Center, noted that despite significant differences between Africa and Russia, they share common challenges. For an objective reflection of information, according to the expert, it is necessary to involve Afro-bloggers from among those Russians living in Africa, as they can provide an in-depth analysis of the situation in African countries.

Escamilla Vega L.L., Head of the Soviet Peace Foundation’s Department of Museum, Exhibition and Educational Activities, told about the programs of the African Universe in Moscow, about the joint efforts of journalists, publicists, scientists, teachers in matters of cooperation with Africa, which possesses the golden fund of world culture.

Dr Maurice Okoli, Head of the Nigerian community in Russia, called for using the USSR strategy to strengthen Russia’s positions in Africa, stressing that funding and journalistic training are essential to achieve success.

Other speakers stressed the importance of professional training as well. In particular, Yves Ecuet Amaizo from Togo, Director of the Afrocentricity Think Tank, noted the need to increase the number of media professionals due to the increasing role of information and communication in the new multipolar world order.

Many speakers agreed on the need to set up a joint Russian-African information platform to exchange views and information, cover events and build mutual interest and public opinion between Russian and African citizens. This idea was expressed by the Publications Director of Le Panafricain magazine Abdu Karim Diakhaté, President of the Center for Development Research and Extremism Prevention, Professor Ahmad Yacoub Dabia from Chad, a journalist from Morocco Ouafaa Daoui and others.

As a result of the round tables of the Russian-African Club of Lomonosov Moscow State University, it was decided to continue exchanging views and conducting in-depth analytical work in bringing together journalists and mass media in Africa and Russia. The Russian-African Club is planning to hold an International Forum of Russian and African Journalists in the near future.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

Authorities arrested at least nine resistance committee members during a demonstration held on Wednesday, against the price hike in water tariffs in El Borgeig in Sudan’s Northern State. Complaints were also filed against four members of the committee, due to their continued participation in the protests that that went on for three days.

In a statement by the El Borgeig resistance committee, the group of activists indicated that their demands to cancel the increases in the drinking water tariff were “completely fair”, due to the “water networks in villages and local areas being established by popular effort, not a public water network”.

The tariff increase protests in El Borgeig were made up of 53 villages, all who rallied against the ‘draconian’ charge which sought to increase water fees tenfold.

Protesters threatened to escalate and close the Sudan-Egypt highway, Sheryan El Shimal (artery of the north), if their demands were not met by today.

The highway is a key area for protesting activity in the Northern Sate. Farmers from Dongola and Ed Debba barricaded the road two years ago, in protest of the 500 per cent increase in electricity fees.

Mohamed Saleh, one of the participants in the protest, told Radio Dabanga that the local authorities have “increased water fees per house from SDG 100 SDG to SDG 1,000 a month since the beginning of February without any prior warning”.

He explained that the water networks were “established by their own self-effort”, and have been running at the expense of locals for two years. Saleh stated that the authorities also have not provided any services in exchange for the exorbitant fee increase.

According to Saleh, protesters gathered three days ago and closed the road linking Arqo and El Borgeig at the El Dafoufa bridge, in rejection of the decision.

The Ministry of Finance and the Water Corporation of Northern State reportedly issued a decision to reduce the tariff to SDG 800 SDG after the protests, but locals rejected the decision and “demanded that the increase be cancelled completely”.

Source: Radio Dabanga

The Eastern Sudan Conference, spearheaded by the AU-IGAD-UNITAMS Trilateral Mechanism and the mainstream Forces for Freedom and Change Central Council (FCC-CC), concluded their deliberations between the eight participants in Khartoum’s Friendship Hall on Wednesday, reaching a series of recommendations on issues related to government continuity and restorative justice.

The conference endorsed a plan outlining a development forum for the civil government in the east to be enshrined three months after Sudan’s Framework Agreement is fully enacted. However, this is entirely dependent on a thorough political process which provides a salient harmonisation between state actors and people in all eastern localities.

Conference participants reportedly affirmed the unity of Sudan and its sovereignty over all its lands, federal rule, the right to one region, positive discrimination for women, the rights for victims of violations to bring the accused to justice, and the right to public participation.

Some took issue with the conference’s conclusive decisions, especially the lack of discussion around the Eastern Sudan Tack.

Mohamed Ahmed Nadil, head of the National Network for Social Justice, told Radio Dabanga that the “workshop did not include discussion of controversial issues such as the Eastern Sudan track and the separate negotiating platform, but rather focused on post-societal stability issues”.

Nadil criticised the workshop for focusing on the “academic side and not being bold in dealing with political issues”. He stated that the workshop’s recommendations would “reflect positively on eastern Sudan, if implemented”.

FFC-Central Council

The mainstream FCC-CC announced the imminent signing of the final agreement, stressing that there will be no amendment to the framework agreement, its parties, or its topics.

In a press conference held by the FFC-Central Council, spokesperson Jaafar Hasan, stated that they broadly support expanding the base of the transition, and that the predetermined parties will sign the agreement following its conclusion.

The spokesperson maintained that the process would not be “flooded with remnants” of the former regime. He stressed the need for a united military force and condemned predatory recruitment activity form various armed movements in, River Nile state and El Butana in northern El Gedaref.

Hasan stated that the mainstream FCC-CC will embark on a tri-state press tour in Sennar, River Nile and White Nile on Friday, to explain the benefits of the new framework agreement.

Source: Radio Dabanga