The leadership of the Francophone African Christian Media Forum (FOMECAF) met from May 6 to 8, 2024, at the Higher Biblical and Theological School of West Africa (EBSTAO) in Lomé, Togo. The purpose of this meeting was to evaluate the Forum’s progress and explore future directions to better address current challenges and meet the expectations of its partners.

As a reminder, FOMECAF was launched in Lomé, Togo, in 2019, following a meeting to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Radio Réveil (now the Association Médias Ebène), and is dedicated to broadcasting radio programs promoting peace, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence throughout the Francophonie. Each edition of the Lomé conferences—six in total—brought together approximately 150 radio professionals working at Francophone African religious radio stations.

FOMECAF's Success

During this meeting, the leaders noted with satisfaction that, in its five years of existence, FOMECAF has become the leading training and networking platform for Christian media professionals in more than 15 countries across the continent. Since its launch in 2019, FOMECAF has organized five training sessions, benefiting more than 200 media professionals, including promoters, producers, technicians, hosts, and bloggers. The year 2023 marked a turning point with the first decentralized session held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, which was hailed as a success by participants and government officials alike.

FOMECAF leaders discussed the major challenges facing French-speaking African countries, including youth unemployment, widespread poverty, poor governance, and insecurity. They expressed concern about the existential threat posed by the Islamic insurgency in the region.

Taking a proactive approach, they have outlined a strategic plan for the next three years (2025–2028). They will focus on fostering a culture of excellence by building the capacity of stakeholders and improving the infrastructure of media organizations. FOMECAF plans to organize decentralized, specialized training programs tailored to local needs.

Toward a collaborative sequel?

The issue of FOMECAF’s legal structure was also discussed. A committee was established to finalize the discussions and propose a model that fully meets the Forum’s new ambitions.

Gathering testimonials from media partners was a key focus of this meeting. The participants recommended greater involvement from all stakeholders so that everyone—leadership, media representatives, and participants—can contribute to collecting testimonials in the field.

Finally, FOMECAF officials express their deep gratitude to their partners and members for their ongoing commitment and multifaceted support.(c)