- African media has a very important role in stimulating the continent's development process, concurred the President of African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka.
Mr Kaberuka, who addressed an international media summit on "Re-branding Africa" hosted by his bank in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, defined the role of media in Africa's development process. He said this included objective reporting on efforts being made in various domains, access works that that are not improving the economy, reduce poverty and improve living standards.
Organized by the African Communications Agency (ACA) in collaboration with other organizations including the African Union and ECOWAS, the training was meant to build the capacity of African journalists in business and development communication and related domains so that Africa's voices be heard across the world.
The bank group's annual meeting is scheduled to take place in the Mozambican capital, Maputo on 14 and 15 May.
Kaberuka described Mozambique as a shinning example of an emerging post-conflict country that many countries can from its experience. The African bank is playing a modest role in the country with a portfolio of about US $600 million.
He was magnetized by China's short transition from being a humble beginner to a major world player.
He explained the bank's facility for fragile states to help them emerge from civil conflict to gradually stabilize their economic and social circumstances.
“When an African state is in a crisis situation, the entire international community will mobilize to end hostilities followed by elections,“ Kaberuka said.
“Thereafter, everyone turns their backs on the population to sort out themselves. The AfDB intends to end this approach by providing the countries in such situations some modest means they can fall back on to renew hope and rebuild their lives.”
Erieka Bernett, the President of ACA , said the theme of this year's summit, "How the youth can help change the image of Africa in the re-branding process" was not only fitting, but also in tandem with the AU Declaration of 2008.
She said African youth has a "responsibility in the re-branding of the continent and ensuring that they continuously strive to improve the economic and social conditions of Africa and portray the positive sides of the continent."
The three-day course enable participants to discuss critical issues relating to the proper and adequate dissemination of information about the "New and Emerging Africa" and the re-branding of Africa.
Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, ACA focuses on establishing partnerships and developing initiatives to help change the negative perception of Africa created by the media and to introduce African businesses to the global marketplace.
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