Rabat: The Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) has pledged to provide more opportunities for photojournalists in order to adequately tell the African stories. The President of FAAPA and Director-General of the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP), Mr. Fouad Arif, made this announcement at the conclusion of a 5-day photojournalism training in Rabat, Morocco.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Arif stated that the training aimed to empower African photographers to convey the continent's stories with authenticity and creativity. He emphasized that the seminar's objectives were 'totally met,' reaffirming FAAPA's commitment to building professional capacity across African newsrooms. Arif also mentioned that participants would have opportunities to cover major events in Morocco, such as the Cannes competition later this year and the FIFA World Cup, with Marrakech set to host FAAPA's next General Assembly.
Arif encouraged the journalists to stay connected via digital platforms, submit entries for the FAAPA Photography Awards, and continue promoting Africa's image through impactful storytelling. Speaking on behalf of the participants, Dr. Josephine Essomba commended the organizers for the excellent training conditions and praised the collaborative teaching model used throughout the seminar. She stressed the importance of Africans narrating their own stories and highlighted the workshop's role in reinforcing the need for journalists to portray the continent's beauty, diversity, and resilience.
The participants expressed gratitude to MAP for its hospitality and for providing an optimal learning environment. Mr. Thierry Gouignon, a resource person and photojournalist from C´te d'Ivoire, remarked that the training underscored the significance of visual storytelling in shaping Africa's image. He urged participants to combine journalism and photography to enhance their storytelling capabilities and called on FAAPA to replicate similar training sessions across the continent.
Ms. Isabel Bento, a multimedia journalist from the Namibia Press Agency, described the course as more comprehensive and insightful than previous photography workshops she had attended. She recommended that future editions include more English and Portuguese translations to ensure inclusivity among non-French speaking participants. Bento expressed her gratitude to FAAPA and MAP for the opportunity, noting that the training had provided her with new techniques and ethical insights to improve her storytelling through photography. "We are very grateful for the platform, and I believe it will help us become better photojournalists capable of telling Africa's great stories through images," she said.