African Journalists discuss role in Peace operations

Rwandan flag.Courtesy Picture

African journalists are meeting in Kigali to share ideas on the future of a common strategy towards improving communications and the media's role in supporting the operations of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The two-day conference which started Wednesday also attracted civil society groups, AMISOM officials and journalists from countries, including Somalia, Rwanda, Nigeria, Burundi, Kenya and others.

Apart from how best to tell the African story, journalists are contributing ideas: to streamline communications within the broader scope of AMISOM's activities as well as support to the TFG; to seek the cooperation and support of the global mass media for AMISOM's drive to win the hearts and minds of Somalis by highlighting the positive news and developments taking place in Somalia. Ahmednor Farah, a journalist of Radio Bar-Kulan, a public service radio station in Somalia told The New Times that the media has played a great role in popularizing AMISOM among the masses.

Farah said: "As a Somali journalist based in Somalia, although it is difficult for us to practice our impartiality because of al Shabaab terrorists targeting and killing Somali journalists, we are trying to tell the truth is, and the role of the media is very important because without the media, you cannot know what is going on." "Reporting the operations and what causalities are there is very important. Journalists from outside Somalia can play a role also by getting involved and knowing Somalia better." 

Courtesy of New Times (Rwanda)