Africa Security and Journalism focus of CAJ Conference 2021

Speakers of CAJ conference 2021 (from left to right): Mohammed Ibrahim Moalimuu (Somalia), Ashraf Aboul-Yazid Dali (Egypt), Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), (Nigeria),  and Gospel Kazako (Malawi).

By Ashraf Aboul-Yazid

CAIRO: The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) with membership spanning all the five regions of Africa and recognizing the diaspora as its sixth region will hold its first conference in October 2021.

In a statement, CAJ said that its resolve for the 2021 conference is to bridge the gap between the information gateway and leadership in the continent.

“Considering the various challenges of African countries recently, particularly fake news and security which immeasurably are having adverse consequences in the genuine African leadership roadmap to the continent’s growth and development,  CAJ believes telling the true and positive Africa narratives and opportunities abound in the continent is profound,” it said.

The  three-day conference with the theme “Africa and Security Challenges; the Role of Journalists in finding a lasting solution” shall be an interface between all stakeholders in the voyage to mapping a path of progress for our great continent and her future.

CAJ as a pan African journalists’ organization refuses to press its interest largely to foreign press sentiments.

However, the organization will not in any way push its members off the track of ethical standard; the age-long fulcrum on which the journalism profession has laid its values.

“Our service to motherland is not only a duty, but also, alongside patriotism, an obligation.”

Mr. Michael Adeboboye (Nigeria), Chairman, Board of Trustees at Congress of African Journalists, CAJ, said: “We believe we are in the best position to reel out our own narratives and as a matter of fact, believe the interface in conference will evolve a common understanding of the various challenges bedeviling the continent and her development.”

The conference in Lagos, Nigeria on October 6 – 8 will witness training of participants, investiture of patrons, conferment of awards and film shows about CAJ and its objectives.

The film shows will also be projecting Africa’s richness and versatility in culture, tourism and languages.

Speakers at the conference are renowned African Pen Pushers Family who have excelled in two principal fronts of professional journalism practice and security.

They are either still active in their call to governance to serve in their respective African countries or have retired but still active in the African image laundering projects. The conference main theme will be “Africa and Security Challenges; Role of Journalists in finding lasting solutions”.

Keynote speaker will be Mr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid Dali, Egyptian poet, novelist and journalist. He is the President of the Asia Journalist Association (AJA) and Vice President Congress of African Journalists, CAJ, North Africa Region.

Ashraf Dali is the winner of Manhae Grand Prize in Literature, South Korea, 2014, and winner of Arab Journalism Award in Culture, UAE, 2015.

Since 1989, when his first book of poetry was published, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid (Ashraf Dali) has been keen to introduce himself as a man of words.

His 40 books cover novel, poetry, travel literature and criticism. Some of his books have been translated into English, Spanish, Persian, Turkish, Korean, Sindhi, German, and Malayalam (India). His speech will cover “the Role of Journalists in Finding Lasting Solution”.

The second speaker is Hon. Gospel Kazako, a foremost journalist and Malawian entrepreneur who founded the Zodiak Broadcasting Station; a national broadcasting station in Malawi. Kazako is also a poet and current serving Minister of Information, Malawi. His topic will be “A tool for Africa’s Image Laundering, Political Stability and Socio-Economic Advancement”.

The third speaker of CAJ Conference 2021 is Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Moalimuu, a senior Somali international journalist and unionist, formerly with BBC and Reuters. Moalimuu is the current Spokesperson of Federal Government of Somalia and Senior Media Adviser to the Prime Minister. Mr. Moalimuu’s topic will be “CAJ; A pan-African Journalists’ Organisation to map Africa’s Developmental Trajectory Reportage”.

CAJ Conference speaker Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman (rtd), is a consultant director, corporate affairs and information at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Mahangi Communication Services and Mahangi Farms. He is member of the Editorial Board of African Leadership Magazine and Member of the Board of Trustees of Security Watch Africa Initiative. His topic is “Africa Security Challenges; Freedom of Information Law Implementation, a critical ingredient for peace and curbing fake news”.