By: Alieu Jallow
On Thursday, February 22nd, the Gambia’s OIC Secretariat hosted media chiefs and senior journalists from across the country, representing print, community radio, online, and broadcast media. The meeting aimed to solicit partnership with the media, recognizing their crucial role in fostering development. Additionally, the gathering provided an opportunity to update the media on the upcoming OIC summit scheduled for May 4th-5th, 2024, and to seek their collaboration.
Yankuba Dibba, the CEO of the OIC Secretariat, emphasized the crucial role the media can play in the successful hosting of the summit. He highlighted that The Gambia is the second non-sub-Saharan country in Africa to host the second-largest summit, next only to the UN General Assembly. Dibba stressed that history can only be written through the media and underscored their key role in the summit’s success.
Dibba outlined, “The OIC summit is not merely a meeting or summit but a national project. It is unprecedented since our founding in 1965. We have not undertaken such a comprehensive project within such a short timeframe, mobilizing resources to provide The Gambia with a complete facelift in terms of infrastructure and diplomatic relations. In this journey, we need partners, and you are our primary partners because, after all, history is recorded through the media.”
Speaking on behalf of the media, Ade Drammeh, the editor-in-chief of QTV, discussed how the media can ensure that the summit leaves a lasting legacy by portraying a positive image of The Gambia.
“In an era where information is abundant and instantaneous, the media’s role in shaping narratives is undeniable. We have a responsibility to ensure that discussions at the summit are not based on rumor and gossip but are informed, balanced, and constructive. We must prioritize accuracy over sensationalism and context over controversy, thereby contributing to more public discussion and encouraging meaningful dialogue,” Ade emphasized.
Nfally Fadera, head of Brand and Communication, briefed the media on the Secretariat’s action plans and some of the registered targets, which include the completion of the VVIP lounge at the airport, training of security officers, ushers, and the significance of the summit to the country’s socioeconomic development.
The 15th edition of the Islamic summit is scheduled to commence with a meeting of senior officials from April 30th to May 1st, followed by meetings of foreign ministers from May 2nd to 3rd, and finally, the meeting of kings, presidents, sultans, prime ministers, rulers, and other world leaders from the 57 member states on May 4th-5th, under the theme “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development.”
