Benin has called for greater use of technology to transform the media sector and improve information accessibility, digital inclusion, cultural preservation and information sovereignty across Africa.
The country presented its vision at the 7th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation in Beijing, which brought together public institutions, media organisations, audiovisual enterprises, universities and research centres from China and Africa.
Benin’s Minister of Communication, Aurélie I. Adam Soulé, outlined the country’s priorities for using technology to support the development and modernisation of the media sector.
A major focus of Benin’s proposal was social well-being, with the country advocating the use of technology to make information more accessible, including through the production of content in local languages using artificial intelligence.
Benin also highlighted the importance of supporting a diversified economy by developing digital and creative skills, strengthening creative industries and promoting co-productions that can take Beninese stories and cultural heritage to international audiences.
On national cohesion and security, Benin called for stronger measures to combat disinformation, improve fact-checking and strengthen information security as digital platforms continue to reshape the media environment.
The digitisation and preservation of audiovisual archives was also identified as a priority, with the aim of protecting Benin’s collective memory and ensuring that its historical and cultural records remain accessible to future generations.
At the forum, Benin reaffirmed its position that technology, when effectively deployed within the media sector, can serve as a driver of development, inclusion, information sovereignty and international influence.
The Ministry of Communication said it intends to build strategic partnerships to support the transformation and modernisation of Benin’s media landscape while strengthening the sector’s capacity to respond to the opportunities and challenges created by digital technologies.
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