In a bid to promote experiences, data exchange and the sharing of skills, the Atlantic Federation of African News Agencies (FAAPA) has formally created the Forum of News Directors of African Atlantic News Agencies (FDI AAP).
This decision was reached at the end of the maiden News Directors Forum organised by FAAPA in Rabat on Friday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The creation is in accordance with the decisions of the FAAPA General Assembly held in December 2017 in Casablanca, Morocco.
In addition to exchanges in areas of common interest such as training and multimedia, the forum is expected to contribute to the development of information flow.
It is also expected to organise as well as participate in thematic seminars and conferences under the leadership of FAAPA, and in partnership with African and international organizations and institutions.
Furthermore, the forum is to undertake studies in the field of press and information at the request of FAAPA or one of its members and partners.
To ensure the achievement of the stated objectives, the forum appointed a Coordination and Communication Committee chaired by Mr Rachid Mamouni, the News Director of Morocaine Agence Presse (MAP).
Mamouni is to be assisted by the news directors of the Ivorian News Agency (AIP), Mr Kouablan Pascal, and Mr Papa Ousmane Ngom of the Senegalese News Agency (APS).
Advisory members of the committee are news directors from Nigeria, Liberia, Congo, Guinea, Namibia, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso.
The maiden three-day FAAPA News Directors Forum was held under the theme `Newsroom Management Challenges’ with discussions focusing on the Immediacy of News, Use of Social Networks and Digitisation of Production.
The forum also deliberated on Editorial Calendar, Fact-checking as well as Motivation and Assessment of journalists by their management.
Membership of FAAPA comprises 24 African news agencies of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cape Verde, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, Congo DR, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana and Guinea.
Others are Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. (NAN)