INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE

Press Release No: 044/2026                                            Date: 16^th March,2026

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

 

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The African Union Commission (AUC) officially welcomed twenty-two (22) Fellows of the African Union Media Fellowship (AUMF) Cohort 3.0 to the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. Their arrival marked the commencement of a series of study tours and high-level engagements for the new cohort, selected from an extraordinary pool of over 100,000 applicants.

Drawn from 18 AU Member States across all five regions of the continent, the Fellows represent an elite pan-African network of journalists and content creators. The Fellowship, a flagship initiative of the AU Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), was designed to bridge the gap between policy-making and public perception by immersing storytellers in the inner workings of the Union.

In his welcome address, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, noted that Cohort 3.0 represented a new generation of storytellers capable of illuminating Africa’s transformation, highlighting the continent’s innovations, and connecting continental policies with the everyday aspirations of African citizens.

“Africa’s transformation must be accompanied by a strong African media. It is through credible journalism and responsible storytelling that Africa’s voice is amplified, and its story told with authenticity and confidence,” the AUC Chairperson said while welcoming the Fellows.

Speaking on behalf of AU Member States, H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Ambassador of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the AU Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC), reaffirmed the strong commitment of the PRC to initiatives that strengthen communication, transparency, and engagement between the African Union and the citizens it serves.

He emphasised that the partnership between the African Union and Africa’s media community remained essential in promoting professional standards, ethical reporting, and narratives that advance peace, unity, and development across the continent.

“Those who tell the story shape our collective memory. Through this Media Fellowship, Africa is reaffirming its determination to tell its own story, one that reflects the realities, aspirations, and progress of our continent,” Ambassador Nyamitwe said in conclusion.

He also congratulated the African Union Commission for the continued success of the AU Media Fellowship programme and warmly welcomed the Fellows of AUMF Cohort 3.0, encouraging them to deepen their understanding of continental institutions and contribute to telling Africa’s story with responsibility and professionalism.

Margaret Edwin, Director of Communication and Public Information at Africa CDC, speaking on behalf of Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, emphasised the importance of strengthening a new generation of journalists equipped to report on health issues with accuracy, depth, and responsibility.

“Our goal is simple but ambitious: to strengthen a new generation of journalists who are equipped to report on health issues with accuracy, depth, and responsibility,” she said. “From outbreak response and pandemic preparedness to vaccine equity, research and development, and the broader determinants of health, the stories that shape Africa’s health future must be told by informed and capable voices,” she added.

The AU Media Fellowship is strengthened through the valuable support of GIZ and the European Union who share the African Union’s commitment to empowering African journalists and advancing informed storytelling on the continent’s development agenda. Partners’ contributions to the previous cohorts included training on digital skills and disinformation, study tours, namely to EU institutions in Brussels, participation at the Global Media Forum and AU-EU high level events, and other key resources. Highlighting the importance of this collaboration, David Gudisch, Deputy Permanent Observer of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to the African Union, said

“A free, diverse, and professional media landscape is essential for informed public dialogue and sustainable development. Germany, through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is proud to support the African Union Media Fellowship as it empowers journalists and content creators to strengthen fact-based reporting, promote inclusive public discourse, and bring continental policies closer to citizens. This initiative reflects Germany’s commitment to supporting independent media and democratic governance while contributing to the aspirations of Agenda 2063, including Africa’s digital transformation,”

The European Union also reaffirmed its long-standing partnership with the African Union, highlighting its support to the African integration project across sectors including peace and security, education and youth empowerment, innovation, space, agriculture, climate, energy, water and digitalisation. Emphasising the importance of strengthening African-led narratives in a global information environment increasingly affected by disinformation, the EU underscored the need for skilled and independent journalism capable of reporting on African and global issues with depth and professionalism and of reinforcing democratic societies.

As part of its partnership with the AU Media Fellowship, the EU announced its support for a study tour of EU institutions in Brussels in June 2026 and its contribution to strengthening the AUMF alumni network, already initiated during Cohort 1 and 2 visit to Brussels in January 2026. This will allow to build a stronger community of African communicators with a regional and continental approach.

“This initiative strengthens African storytelling and supports journalists in bringing Africa’s voice and perspectives to global audiences,” said Ms Karin Stanghed, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to the African Union.

The Fellowship programme provides a platform for African journalists and content creators to strengthen their capacity to reframe Africa’s narrative and advance development-focused journalism through emerging technologies. The programme aligns with the 2017 STC-CICT resolution to enhance media engagement in promoting Agenda 2063 and supports the AU Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030, which emphasises innovation and adaptive digital transformation to advance Africa’s development goals.

Note to Editors

The African Union Media Fellowship Programme (AUMF) comprises 60 journalists and content creators from across Africa working in audio-visual, print, and digital media. As a flagship initiative of the AU Information and Communication Directorate (ICD), the programme strengthens African media by promoting ethical journalism, challenging dominant narratives, and fostering collaboration among media professionals for cross-border storytelling, while supporting African storytellers in shaping the continent’s narrative in line with Agenda 2063. In this Cohort 3.0, we collaborated with Africa CDC to introduce a dedicated Health Track aimed at strengthening reporting on public health issues across the continent.

The programme is supported by GIZ AU Office on behalf of Germany through Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and by the European Union (EU), via the EU Delegation to the African Union.

The Cohort 3.0 AU Media Fellows are; Abdillah Kemba (Comoros), Anis Seif Eddine Belmili (Algeria), Ayele Addis Ambelu (Ethiopia), Bongekile Filana (South Africa), Cynthia Areh (Nigeria), Elvy Gotiene (Congo), Emmanuel Ibukun Akindubuwa (Nigeria), Esther Ewune Otto (Cameroon), Isatou Keita (Gambia), Jacky Habib (Egypt), Justina Matandiko (Zambia), Lalaina Randriarimanana (Madagascar), Lourdes Walusala (Kenya), Mamer Abraham Kuot (South Sudan), Mapule Motsopa (Lesotho), Michael Dewornu (Ghana), Oussama Othman (Tunisia), Salome Gregory (Tanzania), Tawanda Forgive Dube (Zimbabwe), Tina Mehnpaine (Liberia), Tizita Girma (Ethiopia), Zodidi Mhlana (South Africa).

 

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Faith Adhiambo | AUMF Coordinator | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: ochiengj@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Mr. Aziz Mshangama | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | E-mail: mshangamaa@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

 

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