Forum for Christian Media in French-speaking Africa: Peace at the heart of discussions

From October 30 to November 1, 2023, Ouagadougou will host the sixth seminar organized by the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF). The theme of the conference is "Christian media, tools for peace in a world full of conflict."

After five editions in Lomé, Togo, the seminar organized by the Forum des Médias Chrétiens en Afrique Francophone (FOMECAF) is decentralizing and taking place for the first time in Burkina Faso. Seventy candidates from six countries, including Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Mali, and Niger, participated.

FOMECAF President Olivia Beugré said that current events in some French-speaking African countries are fraught with crises and tensions, such as socio-political crises, migration and climate crises, terrorism, among others.

Media for Peace

This year's symposium, on the theme "Christian media, tools for peace in a world of conflict," is therefore an opportunity to reflect on what Christian media are doing in these fragile times. "Whether traditional media or social networks, they have a responsibility to report events in an objective and balanced manner, to promote dialogue and reconciliation, and to contribute to the building of a peaceful and harmonious society. However, the media can also be used in destructive ways. Disinformation, discord, hatred, and the manipulation of public opinion can exacerbate conflicts," said Ms. Beugré.

A theme that echoes that of the Burkinabe government

The minister was represented at this meeting by Boukary Nitiema, head of the delegation from the Ministry of Communication. The latter emphasized that "in contexts characterized by terrorism, such as those in the Sahelian countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger), the media, both secular and religious, have an immense role to play in 'deconstructing the elements of terror,' strengthening the resilience of populations, and supporting the actions undertaken by States to ultimately defeat obscurantism." He therefore welcomed the relevance of this theme, which, in his view, is in line with the communication priorities of the Government of Burkina Faso.

The media as tools serving the public

The patron of the event, CSC President Abdoulazize Bamogo, also welcomed the theme of the seminar, recalling that Christian media outlets are involved through various instruments to help them play their part in this fight within the framework of this seminar. Fighting terrorism. "In Burkina Faso, we are encouraging Christian media to adopt tools that will help them make a difference in the face of the security challenges and community tensions we are experiencing. The purpose of these tools is to examine the commitment of these media outlets that convey the message of religion, the word of God. How can investors help a country in a fragile situation?" he suggested. He also praised the faith-based media, which he said are professional because they are rarely questioned for ethical and professional violations, and invited them to stay the course.

Close to the realities of Burkina Faso

Olivia Beugré, President of the FOMECAF Bureau, stated that Burkina Faso chose to host this edition of the FOMECAF seminars in response to the need to support the country during the difficult times it is currently experiencing. Consequently, FOMECAF hopes to remain close to the reality of life in Burkina Faso, express its compassion and sympathy to the Church and the wounded Burkinabe people, and ultimately offer participation sessions to as many media professionals in Burkina Faso as possible, as well as opportunities to help, benefit from the training provided, and contribute to the debate through their testimonies.

About FOMECAF

For the record, FOMECAF was launched in Lomé, Togo, in 2019, following a meeting to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Radio Réveil, originally from Switzerland, and is dedicated to spreading the message of Christ, peace, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence in the French-speaking world. Each edition of the Lomé conferences, six in total, brought together around 150 radio professionals working in French-speaking African religious radio stations.

Participants in this network expressed their hope that in the future, religious radio programming would not focus solely on religion on the airwaves, but would also take into account the specific needs of the population. Emmanuel Ziehli, president of Radio Réveil, explains: "No more radio sermons without the actions that precede them."

Photo credit: Koudousse Moustapha – KDS – 2023