France Médias Monde, CFI, and the French Development Agency (AFD) are officially launching the "Afri'Kibaaru" project ("Information" in the African languages covered by the project), which offers audiences in the Greater Sahel region, drawing on RFI's strong roots in the region, enriched editorial content in Mandinka (Manding), Fulfulde (Peul), and Hausa to 130 million potential speakers, mainly in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon. It also includes a training component, operated by CFI and France Médias Monde, to strengthen the skills of a large network of local, national, and regional journalists and media outlets in facilitating public debate on issues related to sustainable development.
RFI strengthens its editorial offering in Sahelian languages
RFI's programming in African languages will be ramped up through the reinforcement of the multinational African teams that make up its editorial offices based in Dakar (Senegal) and Lagos (Nigeria). These teams draw on a network of local correspondents throughout the region, while benefiting from RFI's rich editorial content in French and other languages. Around 30 African journalists and technicians will be recruited and trained by RFI in the production and broadcasting of news and magazine programs covering topics such as climate, gender, health, and education.
In Dakar, a Fulfulde editorial team will be created to offer two hours of daily programming in this language, in addition to the existing weekly magazines, while the Mandenkan team will double its existing output since 2015 to two hours a day, seven days a week.
In Lagos, the Hausa editorial team will also expand its daily output with a new magazine program on gender equality, included in a 30-minute news segment.
This enhanced news offering will consist of Mandenkan and Fulfulde news programs covering regional, African, and international news, as well as thematic magazines related to sustainable development issues: "Appel actu," an interactive debate program with listeners; "Débat du jour," which compares different points of view on a current topic; "Magazine de l'environnement" and "Magazine Santé," with field reports and interviews; and "Magazine des femmes," on the status and rights of women, also available in Hausa. These programs will be complemented by innovative digital content in the three languages, promoting freedom of expression, public debate, and dialogue between cultures.
A large audience is covered by the broadcast of these Sahelian language offerings through some 30 RFI FM transmitters, in addition to shortwave to reach areas far from major urban centers. RFI's 250 partner radio stations in these three languages, which already broadcast RFI in Mandinka, Fulfulde, and Hausa, will also have access to these new programs. The expansion of the offering is expected to attract the interest of a growing number of local radio stations. All of these programs are and will be available digitally as podcasts, on websites, and on specific apps. Finally, the development of their presence on social media will complete this extensive broadcasting system.
In addition, France Médias Monde will also offer activities that will enable the sharing of expertise for the benefit of colleagues and local media, notably through the relocation of programs accompanied by master classes and training seminars, in conjunction with the training program deployed as part of the project by CFI, the group's media development agency.
CFI trains and strengthens the capacities of African media
CFI will implement a major training component to strengthen the skills of local media in the field of information and public awareness of sustainable development issues and solutions, primarily in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and Chad. Forty-eight media outlets, as well as opinion leaders and members of civil society organizations, will receive support throughout the project to produce and disseminate content related to sustainable development, in French and several Sahelian languages. This project will facilitate public access to reliable information and amplify the space for inclusive debate within local media.
Information and development
The Afri'Kibaaru project, developed over nearly two years by France Médias Monde and CFI and now being implemented, is funded by AFD for a period of three and a half years (42 months) – to the tune of €15 million (including €11.5 million for editorial development led by France Médias Monde and €3.5 million dedicated to capacity building by CFI), as part of official development assistance (ODA).The contribution of the media to development is clearly established by the UN, which considers access to free and balanced information, delivered by impartial and independent media, to be an "essential foundation of prosperous and peaceful societies." The same applies to the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, which makes "any action that allows the free and uncensored flow of information" eligible for this type of funding. In addition, this project falls within the scope of the "Governance" and "Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI)" mandates entrusted to AFD in 2016 and 2018, in which the media are fully involved. "Afri'Kibaaru" benefits from the specific and complementary French expertise of France Médias Monde, CFI, and AFD to contribute to sustainable development for the benefit of the citizens of the Greater Sahel.
Press release