By Seydou M’BOH | ACALAN Media Correspondent, Bamako
The Pan-African Media Forum (FOPAME 2026), held from June 3 to 6, 2026 in Bamako, Mali, has issued a powerful continental declaration known as the Bamako Call, urging African states, media institutions, and digital actors to strengthen narrative sovereignty, digital independence, and professional journalism across Africa.
Organized by the Mali Press House and leading media professional organizations, the Forum brought together journalists, media executives, academics, content creators, and communication experts from about twenty African countries at the Bamako International Conference Center (CICB).
The Forum emphasized that Africa is operating in a rapidly changing global information environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, and intensified information warfare. Participants noted that these dynamics have significantly transformed journalism, media business models, and public communication systems.
A central concern of the Bamako Call is the persistent imbalance in global storytelling, where Africa is often portrayed through narrow and crisis-focused narratives. The Forum strongly called for African narrative sovereignty, affirming the right of Africans to define, produce, and project their own stories, realities, and aspirations.
Participants also stressed that African languages must be central to this transformation, as they remain key to reaching citizens at the grassroots level, preserving cultural heritage, and ensuring that information is fully accessible and socially impactful across diverse communities.
The declaration further highlights the urgency of African digital sovereignty, calling for investment in local data infrastructure, African-controlled digital platforms, and continent-wide media databases to reduce dependency on external information systems.
On professional development, the Forum urged stronger training systems for journalists, improved media education, and enhanced collaboration between African journalism institutions to strengthen skills and continental solidarity.
The Bamako Call also addresses the emerging role of artificial intelligence, urging the development of African-led AI systems that reflect the continent’s linguistic and cultural realities while preventing algorithmic bias and misinformation risks.
Importantly, the declaration reaffirms that African media must serve as instruments of peace, cohesion, and responsible communication, rejecting the use of media platforms for extremist propaganda, hate speech, or violence.
The Forum concluded with a unified call for African governments, institutions, and private actors to invest in sustainable media ecosystems that guarantee editorial independence, economic viability, and long-term sector growth.
Through the Bamako Call 2026, African media stakeholders reaffirmed a shared vision: an Africa that not only consumes information but creates, owns, and controls its own narrative future.