AU Media Fellowship 2023

To ensure Africa is at the forefront of defining and telling its own narrative to African and global audiences, the Information and Communication Directorate (ICD) of the African Union (AU) launched the AU Media Fellowship as a transformative platform to shape the African story and create a more accurate representation of Africa’s progress and opportunities using the using emerging digital technologies as a key tool for communication and engagement that will enable the continent to achieve the vision and aspirations of Africa’s Agenda 2063.

Objectives of The AU Media Fellowship Program are:

• Skill Development – The AU Media Fellowship (AUMF) provides a structured environment for enhancing skills and knowledge in analysis, content creation, and storytelling through training, mentorship, and hands-on experiences, enabling participants to sharpen their journalistic storytelling abilities, learn new techniques, and gain expertise in utilizing emerging technologies and digital media platforms.
• Networking & Collaboration – The AU Media Fellowship (AUMF) provides a platform to connect and collaborate with like-minded industry professionals and experts, content creators, government, policymakers, and key industry players.
• Access to Resources – The AU Media Fellowship (AUMF) provides access to technical resources, tools, and equipment, including grants, state-of-the-art technology, research materials, and platforms for publishing or broadcasting of work developed during the course of the program.

Thematic Tracks: In line with Agenda 2063 goals and aspirations, this year’s media fellowship will focus on the following thematic tracks:

• Gender and Women Empowerment – Promoting efforts towards the Economic and Financial Inclusion of African Women (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 6, AU Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy (GEWE); the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and the AU Constitutive Act.
• Advancing Trade, Investment, and Industrialisation– Promoting efforts towards Africa’s Economic integration. This is in line with the 2023 AU theme of the year – Acceleration of AfCFTA Implementation. (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 1 and 2) other key documents
• Agricultural development, Environmental Protection, and Climate action – Advancing agriculture and agri-business through sustainable environment management for a sustainable and resilient future. (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 1)
• Culture and Creative Industries & Sports Development: Africa, through Agenda 2063, envisions vibrant cultural expressions, thriving creative industries, and enhanced sports infrastructure for sustainable development. (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 5)
• Governance & Democracy – Africa is actively promoting good governance through transparency, accountability, rule of law, and strengthening democratic institutions for inclusive and sustainable development. (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 2, 3, and 4)
• Transforming Africa through Digital Innovation – Africa’s Digital transformation Strategy – Positioning Africa for the 4th Industrial Revolution (Focus on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection), Digital inclusion, and other data policy frameworks (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 1)
• Regional Integration and Economic Cooperation- Advancing a unified Africa through free movement, fostering economic collaboration and sustainable development for shared prosperity. (Agenda 2063 Aspiration 2 and 7)

The African Union is an Integrated, Prosperous, and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.