CAIRO – Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Chairman of the Supreme Council of Media Regulation (SCMR) Karam Gabr attended Sunday the launching ceremony of the biggest training program for African journalists and media professionals at the council’s premises in downtown, Cairo.
The first course, to take up four weeks, targets 20 media workers from Sudan, with the participation of a great host of senior journalists and professionals, board chairmen and editors-in-chief of some press institutions and news websites, and top representatives of satellite TV channels.
In his remarks at the opening ceremony, Shourky said Egypt is committed to fostering cooperation with all African nations, especially in light of the challenges facing the whole world.
He added that starting the program with a course dedicated to Sudanese media professionals clearly manifests the robust ties binding Egypt and Sudan and the fruitful cooperation between both countries in all domains.
Meanwhile, Gabr hailed the booming ties between both countries, which have been gaining greater momentum ever since President Abdel Fattah El Sisi took office.
These ties have been made even stronger due to a number of vital and strategic issues of mutual concern, topped by Ethiopia’s controversial dam on the Blue Nile and countering terrorism, Gabr pointed out, noting that the security of Sudan is an integral part of Egypt’s national security.
For his part, MENA Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Ali Hassan said President Sisi pays special attention to Sudan and its people, shedding light on the large volume of joint projects between the sisterly African nations.
The first course will be followed by nine other courses that will cover various areas in the media industry. The last course will end on February 2.
The program includes a set of workshops that will address a wide range of political and media-related issues, including social media and its influence on conventional media, the new media, and anti-misinformation mechanisms.
The workshops will also tackle Egypt’s foreign policy towards Nile basin countries, national frameworks for countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the role of smart power in managing international relations and achieving national security, the generational digital divide, and the negative impacts of wars and revolutions on peoples’ lives.
The program will feature a number of lectures, as well as cultural and entertaining visits to introduce trainees to ancient and modern Egyptian landmarks.
It will be followed by a specialized training course for African Arab-speaking media workers, to take place between February 5 and March 2, a two-week specialized course for Arab media workers, and a three-week training course for young African journalists.
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