Gözde Isik's blog

Kinshasa-Brazzaville is predicted to become Africa’s largest, and the world’s 11th largest, city by 2025.

With an international border running right through it, it is the obvious focal point for cross-border exchanges between the two Congos. But despite this, formal trade and passenger traffic between the two cities is pitifully small.

Liberia, once one of the richest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, is now the second poorest country in the world, after 14 years of civil war left the country in ruins. Only recently--with the first democratically held election since the end of the war and intensive foreign aid flows--has Liberia begun showing positive signs towards economic and social recovery. Paving the way to recovery, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC) was set up in 2005 by the interim government to investigate and report human rights violations that occurred during the civil conflict by providing a platform for both victims and perpetrators to share their experiences. But with all infrastructure having been destroyed, it has proved almost impossible for Liberians living outside of Monrovia to access the TRC hearings and have a say in the process of reconciliation. 

I attended a very interesting seminar today on the role of the media in governance and anti-corruption. Key speaker for the session was the first African-born winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Nigerian journalist Dele Olojede. Mr. Olojede talked about the information and communication revolution that has taken place in Africa in the last decade and how it has transformed the role of the media all across the continent.

Emphasizing the breakthrough in widespread usage of cell phones and internet coverage and the growth of commercial radio stations, he talked about how it has substantially changed the way Africans view governance and their role in holding governments accountable.  As a result of this media revolution, citizens are becoming more empowered by increased access to information that otherwise would not be accessible to the public. He also mentioned how this revolution had been very effective in activating the wider public. Especially with the increase in user generated content based media such as blogs and ‘eye witness’ type news, anyone with access to a cell phone or the internet has the opportunity to share information in real time while remaining anonymous.

I left the seminar thinking to myself that given the huge potential the media has, perhaps it is the best tool that African countries have at their disposal to promote accountability and anti-corruption, then shouldn’t we be increasing our efforts to keep supporting and strengthening Africa’s media sector?