Marrakech, Jan 30, (GNA) – The Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) has retained its Executive Council for another three-year term at the close of its 9th General Assembly in Marrakech, Morocco.
The General Assembly, held on the theme: “Territorial Inclusion and Spatial Justice: African Press Agencies at the Heart of the Continent’s Transformation,” it endorsed continuity in leadership to consolidate reforms and deepen professional collaboration among African news agencies.
Mr Fausseni Dembele, Director-General of the Ivorian News Agency, First Vice President, presided.
The Assembly approved the report of the 10th Executive Council Meeting held in November 2025 in Libreville, Gabon, and outlined key capacity-building priorities for the coming year.
Mr Fouad Arif, Director-General of the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP), was returned by consensus as President of FAAPA.
Mr Fausseni Dembele, Director-General of the Ivorian News Agency, retained his position as First Vice President, while Mrs Olga Rachelle Mangouandza, Director-General of the Congolese News Agency, continues as Second Vice President.
The Assembly also approved the roll-out of professional training programmes in Artificial Intelligence, video reporting, Information Technology and Computing in 2026, aimed at enhancing the production of credible and high-quality content across member agencies.
Mr Mohammed Anis, Secretary General of FAAPA, who presented the report, commended member agencies for improved payment of annual dues and encouraged them to sustain the positive trend.
Heads of news agencies were urged to support network coordinators to strengthen inclusive and impactful professional networks for journalists across the continent.
They should also increase their contribution of stories to the FAAPA website.
Other members of the retained Executive Council are Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, General Manager of the Ghana News Agency; Mrs Hermine Otounga Souna, Director-General of the Gabonese News Agency; Mr Momar Diongue, Director-General of the Senegalese News Agency; and Mr Ali Mohammed Ali, Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria.
Also retained are Mr A Trokon Tarr, Director-General of the Liberia News Agency; Mr Helio Robalo, Director of Administration of the Cape Verdean News Agency (INFORPRESS); and Mr François Mara, Director-General of the Guinea News Agency.
Mr Mohammed Anis continues as Secretary General, assisted by Mr Mathias LĂ©andre Atignon as Deputy Secretary General.
At the event, FAAPA honoured outstanding journalists with the 2025 Grand Prix Awards in Feature Writing, Video and Photo categories.
Mr Usman Aliyu, an Assistant Chief Correspondent with the News Agency of Nigeria, won the Best Feature Article award with his report titled “Swipe to Survive: How Digital Payments Tackle Youth Unemployment in Nigeria.”
The story examines how young Nigerians are leveraging digital payment platforms to navigate unemployment, create livelihoods and withstand economic hardship.
Mr Fouad praised the winners for their strong human-interest appeal and solutions-oriented approach.
In the Video category, Mr Yacouba Soro of the Ivorian News Agency won with “Plastic Waste: from Pollutant to Development Lever,” highlighting innovative waste management and recycling initiatives in Abidjan.
The Best Photo Story award went to Mr Guylain Kipoke Omba of the Congo (Kinshasa) News Agency for a compelling image capturing a mother’s effort to save her child from drowning after a 24-hour torrential downpour, underscoring the human cost of extreme weather events.
Each award winner, accompanied by their Director-General, received a certificate, a plaque and a cash prize of 1,000 dollars, presented by the President.
FAAPA, established in 2014 in Casablanca, has become a key platform for training, coordination and professional collaboration among more than 30 African news agencies.
The Federation has trained more than 300 journalists through the African Centre for Journalist Training and established specialised networks in fact-checking, photojournalism, sports journalism, and Women and Gender.
Coordinators of the networks presented their 2025 activity reports and action plans for 2026 at the Assembly.
Mr Fouad reaffirmed FAAPA’s vision of building a united, competent and reliable African media ecosystem to support a prosperous continent grounded in shared knowledge, inclusivity and spatial justice.
He linked FAAPA’s mission to the vision of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, which promotes South-South cooperation, shared responsibility and the pooling of knowledge to deepen Africa’s integration and global influence.
Some member agencies signed bilateral content exchange agreements at the closing ceremony.
The next Executive Council Meeting will be hosted by Guinea.
GNA
Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage