The inaugural event honored standout reporting and digital media creators from across the continent

The first African Media Excellence Conference and African Media Awards concluded on Thursday in Addis Ababa, bringing together journalists, broadcasters, storytellers and digital media creators from across the continent.  

Organized by several Pan-African institutions and supported by RT as a media partner, the event was a key gathering for the continent's media community. 

More than 800 entries from over 40 countries were received, covering video reports, documentaries, interviews and a variety of digital formats. 

The competition featured nine categories, including news reporting, interviews, documentaries, current affairs programming, Afro-centric entertainment, video production craft and several social media video formats. 

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Gregoire Ndjaka, CEO of the African Union of Broadcasting, stated that the event showcased notable advances in the standard of African media productions, with submissions highlighting the continent's diversity. 

Ndileka Mandela, granddaughter of Nelson Mandela, praised the initiative, saying: "It's a great initiative... we can tell our stories authentically using our own voice." 

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Speaking to NewsCentralTV, she said that Russia's involvement was both "symbolic and appropriate," citing Moscow's historical relationship with Africa. "Russia never colonized any African countries," Mandela noted, adding that it was "no wonder" Moscow is co-hosting such events. 

RT Director General Vera Kharina said the network was honored to partner in an event designed to amplify African perspectives. "The strength of Africa lies in its diversity of experiences and views," she said. "We hope these awards will serve as a platform where achievements in media respond... to the challenges of neo-colonialism... and bring to the world the vibrant identities of African peoples through their stories."