Libreville: The Federation of African News Agencies (FAAPA) is set to support its members in bolstering their Internally Generated Funds (IGF), the organization’s President, Mr. Fouad Arif, has announced. Mr. Arif, who is also the Director-General of the Maghreb Arab Press (MAP), assured members during the 10th Executive Council Meeting in Libreville that FAAPA will share effective IGF models and provide training to business development officials of member agencies, using Morocco’s successful news agency as a benchmark.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative comes in response to concerns about inadequate and irregular state subventions, which have hindered some agencies’ ability to operate effectively. Members highlighted the lack of appreciation from some governments regarding the role of national news agencies in sustainable development and democracy, especially amid the spread of misinformation through unregulated social media.
Mr. Arif stressed the vital role of news agencies in delivering credible information essential for nation-building, urging members to submit proposals for funding consideration. He underscored Morocco’s government support for news agencies, which has enabled FAAPA to offer capacity-building and technical assistance to its members. He further assured continued support for professional development in areas such as Women, Fact-Checking, and Health Communication.
FAAPA also plans to facilitate journalists’ coverage of the upcoming AFCON tournament. Gabon’s Minister of Communication and Media, Mr. Paul-Marie Gondjout, opened the meeting by emphasizing the importance of investing in national news agencies. He described their support as crucial for upholding democracy and citizenship, noting their increasing importance in combating misinformation globally.
Mr. Gondjout portrayed news agencies as societal moral compasses and truth conveyors, deserving of resources to maintain their quality information production. The meeting’s theme, ‘Press Agencies facing the Rise of Press Offences and the Responsibility of Journalists,’ highlighted the media sector’s challenges in dealing with fake news and unverified content proliferation.
Madam Oumou Barry, former Director-General of the Ivorian News Agency (AIP), contributed to a panel discussion, asserting the news agency’s role as the backbone of reliable information. She urged journalists to maintain high professional standards amid ethical and legal challenges posed by digital age defamation cases.
The Council evaluated entries for the FAAPA Grand Prix, with Secretary-General Mr. Mohammed Anis announcing winners across three categories. Usman Aliyu from the News Agency of Nigeria won the Feature Article category, Yacouba Soro from the Ivorian News Agency took the Video category, and Guylain Kipoke Omba from the Congo Kinshasa News Agency won the Best Photo Story. Each winner will receive $1,000 at the next General Assembly session in January 2026 in Marrakech, Morocco.
The four-day Council event concludes on Friday, November 14.