West African media leaders call for professionalization and economic rigor

In Benin, the Republic's Mediator, Conrad Gbaguidi, met with the leadership of the Union of Media Professionals of Benin (UPMB) to discuss challenges facing the journalism sector. The meeting focused on the necessity of maintaining constructive dialogue between state institutions and the press, specifically regarding press freedom, working conditions, and the professionalization of the industry.

Separately, in Ouagadougou, the President of the UEMOA Commission, Abdoulaye Diop, called on journalists within the regional community to improve the quality of economic analysis. Diop emphasized that credible information is essential for supporting regional development goals like Vision 2040 and the Impact 2030 plan.

To strengthen this media-institution partnership, the UEMOA Media Platform announced the creation of a new award for regional engagement and the organization of a synchronized ‘UEMOA Information Day’ across the eight member states.