Africa needs fuller global representation, IOL CEO tells China forum
IOL CEO Viasen Soobramoney urged media to broaden coverage of Africa beyond conflict and hardship, while calling for accurate, mutually beneficial China-Africa journalism partnerships.
Africa's representation in the global media should shift from focusing solely on conflict and hardship to highlighting its innovation, achievements, ambitions, and contributions to humanity, according to IOL CEO Viasen Soobramoney. Speaking at the 2026 Media Cooperation Forum on Belt and Road in Fuzhou, China, Soobramoney emphasized the profound responsibility of the media in helping audiences understand the forces shaping their world.
He stressed the importance of providing context, encouraging informed debate, and creating opportunities for people to encounter perspectives beyond their own borders. Soobramoney also highlighted the role of media cooperation along the Belt and Road in building bridges, suggesting that journalist exchanges, joint reporting projects, training, content-sharing partnerships, and collaborations in emerging technologies could help achieve this.
Brief written by urgent.news from IOL's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
