A renewed spirit of solidarity and strategic cooperation defined the opening of the 7th China–Africa Media Cooperation Forum in Beijing, where H.E. Ambassador Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, delivered a compelling call for deeper collaboration in shaping global narratives and advancing shared development.
Drawing on the African Union’s vision under Agenda 2063, the Amb. Bah highlighted Africa’s ongoing transformation—marked by digital innovation, continental integration, and the rise of a confident, youthful population ready to shape the future.
“Africa is increasingly becoming a continent of performance, innovation and opportunity,” he affirmed, underscoring the continent’s growing agency in global affairs.
The Forum’s theme, “Share Development Opportunities, Shape the Audio-Visual Future,” set the tone for discussions on how the media can serve as a catalyst and locomotive for economic growth, cultural identity, and international understanding.
Ambassador Bah outlined three priorities to guide Sino-African ties in the media domain: elevating audio-visual industries as engines of economic transformation; harnessing digital technologies and artificial intelligence responsibly; and investing boldly in human capital to sustain professional excellence.
He emphasized that Africa must become not only a consumer but a producer and exporter of knowledge, ideas and global paradigms.
Strengthened cooperation with China, he noted, offers a historic opportunity to build integrated creative value chains, expand digital capacity, and empower Africa’s youth through training, scholarships and institutional partnerships.
As the two regions mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, Amb. Bah reaffirmed that the Africa–China partnership remains rooted in mutual respect, shared aspirations and a commitment to multilateralism.
He urged both sides to seize the momentum of the Forum to ensure that media becomes “a transformative force that advances development, promotes understanding, strengthens peace and helps build the shared future that our peoples deserve.”
