Director of Communications for the Turkish Presidency, Fahrettin Altun has challenged African Journalists to tell positive stories of the continent.
Professor Altun said this is because African Journalists were best suited to do so.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2022 edition of the Turkiye-Africa Media Summit held in Instabul on Africa Freedom Day, Professor Altun prodded African journalists to adopt a constructive approach of publishing constructive news as opposed to blackmail campaigns often crafted to suppress leaders that wanted to promote a just world.
Professor Altun who congratulated all African delegates at the Summit on the observance of the Africa Freedom Day, said that Turkey wanted to prove itself as a strong player and real partner of the African continent.
‘ I pray that the Turkiye – Africa Media Summit will consolidate our friendship, enable us to get to know each other better, and reveal a new, cooperation opportunities in media,” Professor Altun said.
“Our President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attaches special importance to our relations with the African continent and the African nations. Thanks to his strong leadership, determination and sincerity. Turkiye’s relations with Africa gained unprecedented momentum and made extraordinary progress over the last 20 years. Turkiye’s interest and affection toward the African continent rests on the principles of equality and winning together,” he added.
The Professor notes that primarily, Turkiye believes in the importance of promoting African nations in Turkiye as much the promotion of Turkiye in Africa.
‘The approach will pave way to permanent partnerships, solidarity and unity. In this regard Turkiye will implement journalist exchange programs between our country’s leading media organisations, starting with Anaadolu Agency and TRT, and their African counterparts.” Professor Altun said.
“We will give priority to young journalists with less than five years of experience to strengthen the long- term partnership between our nations”, Professor Altun added.
Professor Altun emphasised that Turkiye found it important that African Journalists told the stories of Africa and that Turkey would support their activities.
He said in this regard, Turkiye would provide micro grants for reporting projects from Africa that related to certain issues including, climate change and discrimination.
“By strengthening our partnerships with the relevant institutions in African countries, we will boost our cooperation in key areas, including disinformation,” He said.
Professor Altun further added that Turkiye’s interest in Africa was based on a win-win principle.
He said over the years, Turkiye has increased its embassies in Africa from 12 in 2002 to 43 in 2022. Economic and trade relations between Turkey and Africa had also significantly increased over the years.
Zambia is represented at the summit by Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) Director, Loyce Saili and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)’s , Controller News, Yvette Chanda.