Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)

The MFWA and its national partner organisations in West Africa have welcomed the decision of the Ivorian government to withdraw the controversial press bill, sections of which sought to criminalise speech.

Through a series of workshops and consultations, an expert group led by the MFWA and the Gambia Press Union (GPU) will come up with a comprehensive strategic framework that will guide the entire media sector reform process in The Gambia.

Léhady Soglo – the mayor of Benin’s economic capital Cotonou – has sued the publication director of Nord Sud Quotidien for defamation. Soglo is claiming 50 million CFA Francs (about USD $85,000) in compensation.

The state Nigerian Union of Journalists chairman, Dogo Shama, described the demolition of Breeze FM in Nasarawa State as an “open attack on the press which has the potential to deprive citizens of the right to balanced reports.”

In what many people consider a breakthrough for justice in Gambia, a court issues two arrest warrants over the assassination of journalist Deyda Hydara, who was killed during the brutal rule of President Yahya Jammeh.

Boubacar Camara – a cameraman with the Gnagna TV in Guinea – has been beaten up by a group of gendarmes and police officers who spotted him filming their acts of violence against parties of a land dispute.

Côte d’Ivoire’s new media bill has the potential to be exploited by politicians and influential people to settle scores with critical journalists, and encourage self-censorship.

What could cause a government to block the internet to specific regions for three months? In Cameroon’s case, it was a conflict over the imposition of the French language in anglophone areas.