Distinguished colleagues, partners, and our outstand-ing Fellows,

Good morning.

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the African Union Media Fellowship – Cohort 3.0.

Let me begin by warmly congratulating the 18 excep-tional journalists selected for this cohort. Your achievement is remarkable. You were chosen from a pool of more than 100,000 applicants from across Af-rica and the diaspora. This reflects not only your pro-fessional excellence, but also your commitment to tell-ing Africa’s story with depth, integrity, and purpose.

On behalf of the African Union Commission, I com-mend you for joining a growing community of journal-ists dedicated to shaping how Africa is understood; both by Africans themselves and by the world.

The African Union was founded on a bold vision: an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena. This vision is captured in Agenda 2063, our continental blueprint for transformation.
At the heart of Agenda 2063 lies a powerful principle: Africa must define its own destiny and tell its own sto-ry.

For too long, narratives about our continent have of-ten been shaped from outside, frequently emphasising crisis rather than opportunity. Yet the Africa of today is a continent of resilience, innovation, and immense promise.

Africa is home to the youngest population in the world, a rapidly expanding digital ecosystem, and some of the fastest-growing economies globally. These realities are transforming both our societies and our role in the global system.

Africa also possesses significant comparative ad-vantages that will shape the global economy of the fu-ture. Our continent holds a substantial share of the world’s critical minerals, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, and rare earth elements—resources es-sential for renewable energy, electric mobility, and green technologies.

These resources position Africa not merely as a sup-plier of raw materials, but as a strategic partner in building a sustainable global economy.
At the same time, initiatives such as the African Con-tinental Free Trade Area are creating the largest free trade area in the world by number of participating countries, opening new opportunities for industrializa-tion, intra-African trade, and economic transformation.
Yet while Africa’s potential is undeniable, global gov-ernance structures have not fully reflected these reali-ties.

Africa remains the only continent without a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. This his-torical injustice must be corrected. The African Union continues to advocate for fair representation through the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which call for at least two permanent seats for Africa with full veto rights, alongside additional non-permanent representation.

At the same time, Africa’s voice in global economic governance continues to grow. The historic admission of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 marks an important step toward ensuring that Af-rican perspectives shape global economic decision-making.
In all these efforts; whether advancing economic inte-gration, strengthening global representation, or pro-moting sustainable development; the role of the media is indispensable.

Journalists are not merely observers of Africa’s jour-ney. You are partners in shaping the narrative of the continent.
The AU Media Fellowship was established to strengthen engagement between the African Union and Africa’s media community, and to empower jour-nalists to tell stories that reflect the full complexity and promise of our continent.

To the Fellows of Cohort 3.0, you represent a new generation of storytellers; voices that can illuminate Africa’s transformation, highlight its innovations, and connect continental policies with the everyday aspira-tions of African citizens.

Your work will help ensure that Africa’s story is told with authenticity, balance, and confidence.
I encourage you to use this fellowship to deepen your understanding of the work of the African Union, col-laborate across borders, and continue producing journalism that informs, inspires, and holds institu-tions accountable.

The future of Africa’s narrative must be written by Af-ricans.
And today, we celebrate the fact that many of those voices are in this room.
Once again, congratulations to the 22 Fellows of Co-hort 3.0. I wish you every success as you embark on this important journey.

Thank you very much.