Mbabane, Eswatini – 30 June 2025 – Stakeholders from across Africa have gathered in Eswatini’s capital, Mbabane, for a landmark three-day Media Training on Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Reporting, signalling a new era in empowering African media to actively shape the continent’s environmental narrative.
Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate in partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other regional bodies, the workshop runs from 30 June to 2 July 2025.
The opening session was marked by strong calls for the media to move beyond traditional reporting and embrace a transformative role in Africa’s environmental governance.
Delivering the African Union Commission’s message, a representative of the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate extended warm greetings to participants, while expressing heartfelt appreciation to the Government of Eswatini for its exemplary hospitality and commitment to environmental progress.
“Today marks a historic occasion. We are not merely convening a media training workshop; we are launching a significant initiative to take ownership of Africa’s narrative in regional and international negotiations,” Dr. Oduetse Oldman Koboto, the MEA Coordinator of the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate of the African Union Commission (AUC) Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, declared.
The Commission emphasized that the training is part of a broader emancipation process aimed at elevating the media’s role from passive reporting to active engagement in shaping Africa’s image, integrity, and policy outcomes.
The AUC representative further underscored Africa’s shared responsibility under Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, which envisions policy harmonization, capacity building, and robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms across the continent. Highlighting the African Union’s numerous policy frameworks—including the African Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, Africa Ocean Governance Strategy, and Africa Wildlife Strategy—the speaker urged the media to amplify these efforts and support homegrown solutions.
“Achieving sustainable development requires inclusive and participatory approaches that leave no one behind. The media remains one of the most critical yet underutilized partners in policy formulation, negotiation, and implementation,” the AUC representative noted.
Recognizing that policy implementation remains one of Africa’s biggest challenges, the Commission called for a “whole-of-society approach” in which the media plays a central role, not just as storytellers but as advocates, analysts, and watchdogs of Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
Participants were also addressed by Norah Kendeli Mugita, Project Officer at UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa who stressed the critical role of accurate and engaging media coverage in translating complex international environmental agreements into meaningful action on the ground.
“These agreements set the global rules for conserving biodiversity, restoring degraded lands, managing chemicals and plastics, and safeguarding our oceans. Yet without clear, compelling stories reaching policymakers and citizens alike, the ambition of COP decisions can too easily remain in the conference room rather than on the ground,” she said.
She outlined UNEP’s approach to the training, which includes practical exercises like mock interviews and critical-question sessions to strengthen journalists’ capacity to hold stakeholders accountable and inspire action in their communities.
“You are the bridge between multilateral decisions and local realities,” she emphasized, underscoring UNEP’s commitment to supporting African journalists in environmental reporting.
In his opening remarks, Bongani Mkhalipi, the Director of Information – Media Development of Eswatini’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology, hailed the initiative—led by the African Union Commission (AUC)—as both timely and strategic, acknowledging the persistent challenges media practitioners face when covering the complex world of environmental governance.
“Too often, we expect the media to report on highly technical and complex environmental issues without providing them with the necessary tools, training, or understanding to do so effectively. Today marks a significant step toward addressing that gap,” he said.
The training, held in Eswatini’s capital Mbabane, underscores a shared commitment to making MEA implementation on the continent more inclusive and informed, in line with the principle of leaving no one behind.
Emphasizing collaboration, the host stressed that effective environmental governance depends on good coordination, integrated implementation, accountability, and enforcement—but warned that none of these goals can be achieved without the active participation of all sectors of society.
Government, civil society, communities, academia, and critically, the media—all must be involved,” he urged.
Acknowledging the essential role of journalists, he described media practitioners as the “torchbearers of truth, knowledge, and public awareness” who help communities understand the importance of national, regional, and global environmental priorities. But he was clear that simply granting access to information is not enough.
“To fulfill this role effectively, you need more than just access to information. You need context, depth, and an understanding of the legal and institutional frameworks that underpin environmental agreements,” he noted.
The three-day training was specifically designed to deliver on these needs. Participants are exploring the content, legal obligations, and mechanisms for the implementation, compliance, and enforcement of MEAs. The sessions also provide insights into ongoing negotiations and evolving strategies for implementation—knowledge considered critical for shaping effective environmental outcomes across Africa.
By investing in the capacity of the media, the African Union Commission and the Kingdom of Eswatini aim to strengthen public engagement, improve accountability, and ensure that communities across the continent are well informed about the environmental challenges—and solutions—that will shape their future.
Throughout the three days, participants will explore best practices for covering environmental policy, share regional experiences, and discuss strategies to ensure that Africa’s unique solutions and success stories are told in ways that influence policy and galvanize public support.
In closing, both the AUC and UNEP expressed deep gratitude to their partners, including the European Union Commission, the ACP-MEA Project, and regional bodies such as ECCAS, EAC, SADC, and MISA, for their collaboration in making the event possible.
The gathering in Eswatini stands as a powerful testament to Africa’s commitment to sustainable development, homegrown solutions, and a unified voice in global environmental negotiations—amplified by an informed, empowered, and proactive media sector.
