On the sidelines of the 8th Broadcast and Digital Media convention in Namibia, the nation’s Vice President, Dr. Netumbo Nandi re- echoed for Africa to be in control of its own narrative and influence perceptions in and out of the continent.
The VP made the assertion during an interview with Sputnik on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 .
Africa is in dire need to commence taking charge of its own narrative and utilize the media within the continent to influence perceptions, both within the continent and around the world, Vice President of Namibia, Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, accentuated during an interview with Sputnik.
She emphasized that Africa needs to collaborate and put its resources together to develop the infrastructure and technology necessary to become media innovators.
According to the vice president, this will shift global perceptions of Africa from a continent riddled with problems to one that plays an essential role in global development.
Dr. Netumbo stressed the importance of « information sovereignty » for the continent, advocating for Africa to control its own media and messaging as this has the power to control the minds of people.
According to her, losing control of the media could lead to a form of « mental colonization » that would hinder Africa’s political and economic liberation efforts.
Speaking on the issue of sanctions against media outlets, Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed concern about the implications for freedom of information.
On the economic front, the vice president noted that Namibia is well positioned to strengthen economic ties with various global powers, including Russia, and expressed optimism about potential collaboration in areas such as nuclear energy and infrastructure development.
She was speaking on the sidelines of the 8th Broadcast and Digital Convention that debuted on October 8 and culminated on October 10 with a primary focus on broadcasting and content publishing within an AI-driven digital ecosystem
