Beijing, August 2026: A renewed spirit of solidarity and strategic cooperation defined the opening of the 7th China–Africa Media Cooperation Forum, where Ambassador Alhaji Sarjoh Bah, Permanent Representative of the African Union to China, called for deeper collaboration in shaping global narratives and advancing shared prosperity.
Speaking against the backdrop of 70 years of Africa–China diplomatic relations, Ambassador Bah underscored the transformative role of media in driving economic growth, cultural identity, and international understanding. “Africa is increasingly becoming a continent of performance, innovation and opportunity,” he affirmed, highlighting the continent’s youthful population and digital innovation as engines of change.
The Forum, themed “Share Development Opportunities, Shape the Audio‑Visual Future”, focused on how media can serve as a catalyst for development. Ambassador Bah outlined three priorities to guide Sino‑African cooperation in the media domain:
- Elevating audio‑visual industries as engines of economic transformation.
- Harnessing digital technologies and artificial intelligence responsibly.
- Investing in human capital to sustain professional excellence.
Ambassador Bah emphasised that Africa must become not only a consumer but also a producer and exporter of knowledge, ideas, and global paradigms. Strengthened cooperation with China, he noted, offers a historic opportunity to build integrated creative value chains, expand digital capacity, and empower Africa’s youth through training, scholarships, and institutional partnerships.
He urged both sides to seize the momentum of the Forum to ensure that media becomes “a transformative force that advances development, promotes understanding, strengthens peace and helps build the shared future that our peoples deserve.”