TAEF Statement on Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the African Media

The African Editors Forum expresses its solidarity with the thousands of journalists, editors and media workers across the African continent who continue to work under difficult conditions to bring communities and nations news and information about COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Throughout the ages, journalists have braved atrocious conditions to bring news stories, photographs and video footage about wars and other pandemics, such as Ebola, that have afflicted the nations across Africa.Covering COVID-19, one of the biggest pandemic to hit mankind in recent history, is a call of duty that journalists, editors and media workers have carried out with great aplomb.

This goes from providing communities across the continent with basic information about how they can prevent the spread of the virus and what to do if they think they have it. The media has also played a crucial role in providing news and information that people can use as country after country enforces lockdowns in a desperate effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19, which has decimated lives across Europe at an alarming rate.

In addition to expressing its support to the media across Africa, TAEF calls on governments who have not yet declared media
workers as essential workers to do so. This would, as it has done before, enable them to do their work without any hindrance.

TAEF also cautions that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic must not be used by some governments on our continent to restrict media freedom and independence.

For more information, please contact:

Jovial Rantao
Chairperson: [email protected]
Makan Kone: [email protected]