Marrakech: Proceedings of the 9th General Assembly of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) opened on Wednesday in Marrakech under the theme “Territorial inclusion and spatial justice: African press agencies at the heart of the continent’s transformations.”

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, this Assembly brings together Directors General of African press agencies that are members of FAAPA, alongside experts, researchers, institutional officials, and decision-makers, to reflect on the actions that the media can undertake to support the transformations of the continent and contribute to more balanced, more equitable development firmly rooted in territories.

The media are called upon to assume a structuring role in promoting territorial dynamics at the continental level by giving a voice to marginalized areas and supporting citizens’ ownership of major structuring projects, thereby helping to raise public awareness of the imperatives of spatial justice.

This General Assembly, chaired by the President of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) and Director General of the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP), Fouad Arif, aims to explore ways to consolidate this role by highlighting transferable experiences and models, foremost among them the Moroccan example.

In this regard, and building on these experiences and reproducible models, a keynote address will shed light on an increasingly unavoidable issue, namely health sovereignty as a foundation of spatial justice. In this context, Morocco’s experience will be leveraged as a reference trajectory and a long-term transformation pathway whose impacts are beginning to be felt.

Likewise, a panel themed “Giving a voice to territories: the role of the media in building an inclusive Africa” will highlight the growing responsibilities of African press agencies in promoting territorial dynamics, enhancing the visibility of remote or marginalized areas, and building a shared narrative of development.

This panel will also provide an opportunity to put forward proposals to encourage cooperation among agencies, stimulate local editorial production, and strengthen journalists’ capacities to cover territorial development issues.

The event will also feature the awarding of the FAAPA Grand Prize 2025 for best article, best video report, and best photo, as well as the signing of partnership and cooperation agreements.

In addition, this General Assembly will be marked by the presentation, in particular, of the FAAPA Activity Report, the 2026 Action Plan, the final report on the 8th General Assembly, as well as proposals on training seminars.

As a professional platform bringing together around thirty press agencies and observer members, the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies aims to promote cooperation and the exchange of experience among African press agencies in all areas of common interest, including information, training, digital and multimedia products.