I've been with RT (Russia Today) since its inception in 2005. As a South African with a distinct accent, I managed RT's Middle East office for 18 years before returning to establish RT Africa, now headquartered in South Africa with contributors across 33 African nations.
My presentation addresses "International Media Reporting on Africa: Perceptions and Challenges" in three sections. First, the challenges of reporting in Africa compared to my two decades covering the Middle East, including the Arab Spring which we termed the "Twitter Revolution" due to social media's unprecedented impact. Second, Africa's changing perception of the world. Third, RT's experiences establishing an African channel with a Russian perspective.
A fundamental error is viewing Africa as a single country rather than 54 distinct nations, each with unique challenges. Media landscapes are increasingly controlled, complicating objective journalism — especially for foreign media facing access barriers. When critical of governments, foreign journalists rely on local reporters who face direct repercussions, unlike "parachute journalists" who avoid consequences. For example, RT Africa was the sole crew permitted in the Central African Republic after three foreign journalists were assassinated; our access depended on government invitation.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, logistical hurdles like accreditation denials amid M23 rebel conflicts create extreme difficulties. Somalia — the world's least-visited country, with only 100 visitors last year — allowed only our team entry recently. Al-Shabaab militants openly carried AK-47s in streets and humanitarian camps. Government security prevented attacks because we reported on famine rather than security — had we done the latter, we'd have been targets. Despite danger, Somalis displayed exceptional hospitality, contradicting media portrayals.
Journalists in Africa "disappear" rather than are killed, partly due to unmarked conflict boundaries. Northern Mozambique hosts 24 armed groups, yet few understand tribal dynamics. Currently, 13 African conflicts — fueled by the West and underreported — persist. Western media frames them as "counterterrorism" to legitimize intervention; Mozambique's tribal resource conflict is mislabeled a terror war.
Media constraints include compressed storytelling (1.5–2.5 minutes) and access barriers. Headlines prioritize Western narratives: 21 million face starvation in the Horn of Africa amid U.N. aid cuts — yet this is ignored. The "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality fuels conflicts, as seen in Kenya's filming restrictions justified by counterterrorism.
Africans increasingly reject Western dictates, seeking autonomy. Mozambique's education decolonization exemplifies reclaiming cultural sovereignty. Russia gains traction with no colonial history and Soviet-era liberation support; China invests economically. Conversely, Western powers are seen extracting resources. Africa's mineral wealth — cobalt, copper, diamonds, coltan (columbite–tantalite), lithium — correlates with conflict zones. Western powers benefit from instability, hindering governance and journalistic access.
Regarding the Ukraine–NATO conflict — more accurately a Ukraine–West conflict — African nations increasingly support Russia but fear losing U.S. aid. A Somali minister stated: "We support whoever pays most." Africa transforms through BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) expansion and commodity-backed currencies reducing dollar reliance.
(Transcribed from recording and edited.)