MISA Regional Director Dr. Tabani Moyo has underscored the need for the Southern Africa regional economic community to prioritise a balanced communication approach utilising both online and offline platforms.
Dr Moyo was speaking at the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Communication, Awareness & Visibility Strategy validation workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.
He said the region should actively calibrate its communications and utilise the media to accelerate the dissemination of verified information pertaining to the achievement of the strategic objectives and goals outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020-2030) and the SADC Vision 2050.
“Africa, based on the (available) statistics, remains largely a radio community. That’s the current position.
“According to the Afrobarometer statistics for 2024, more than 47% of the respondents from 39 countries highlighted that they accessed information through radio, followed by 39% through TV, 33% through social media, 30% through the internet, and 6% through newspapers,” said Dr Moyo.
“Yet, internet penetration rates are steadily increasing, although they remain below the 50% mark at the continental level, according to the World Bank. Thus, the SADC strategy for engaging the citizens of the region on the critical issues of regional integration involves a dual approach that employs both offline and online simultaneously.”
Dr. Tabani Moyo addressing attendees at the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Communication, Awareness & Visibility Strategy validation workshop
He bemoaned the diminishing sense of pan-Africanism on the continent, hence the need for the region to be rooted in the people.
This can be done by building a new sense of solidarity and consciousness on the strategic importance for the region to respond actively to strategic issues affecting its collective humanity.
Dr Moyo paid tribute to the late founding father of Namibia, President Sam Munjoma, as one of the last founding fathers and mothers of the liberation struggle.
He acknowledged the priceless role played by the peoples of Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia in hosting the liberation movements that contributed to the region’s liberation culminating in the liberation of South Africa in 1994.
Unfortunately, he said, this spirit of community, solidarity, and commitment to a collective approach in addressing challenges at the southern African level highlights the need to actively engage and foster a renewed sense of pan-Africanism in confronting shared challenges.
The MISA Regional Director was facilitating a session on the topic: Emerging communication trends, technologies, and changing media consumption patterns in the SADC region. Dr. Vivian Joseph of the Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF) moderated the discussion.
Meanwhile, speaking at the official opening of the workshop, Ms Barbara Lopi, Head of Communication and Public Relations at the SADC Secretariat, highlighted the imperative need for the region’s story to stand out in this ever changing world.
“The Southern African Development Community has a long and remarkable journey, beginning 45 years ago on 1 April 1980, when its forerunner, the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), was officially formed in Lusaka, Zambia.
“On 17 August 1992, the Southern African Development Coordination Conference transformed into SADC in Windhoek, Namibia,” said Lopi.
“From the time SADC was established, the community has achieved significant milestones in regional integration, socio-economic development, and peace and security. SADC represents resilience, collaboration, and progress, making it a cornerstone of development in Africa and a model for regional cooperation worldwide.”
She highlighted the strategic importance of the region given its economic impetus and the scale of inhabitants that must actively put hands on the deck in sharing their stories and narratives against dominating narratives.
“Today, SADC, with its combined population of 389 million people, stands as a robust economic entity boasting a large consumer base and a collective GDP exceeding USD 798 billion.
“SADC’s potential is driven by abundant natural resources, strategic geographic advantages, and growing regional integration, positioning the regional block as a major player in global economic and investment opportunities.
“SADC is relevant, and the region is better off with SADC, than without SADC. We need more, and more stories in various channels in our countries and beyond, showcasing SADC’s impact on regional development and successes across different sectors in fostering economic growth, regional integration, and sustainable development,” she said.
Lopi added:
“That is why, this meeting is far more than a routine exercise — it represents a crucial step in ensuring that our Communication, Awareness, and Visibility Strategy captures the collective wisdom, creativity, and expertise of professionals entrenched in the field of communications and media.
“This workshop is important, as the revised strategy will serve as a foundation for fostering enhanced strategic communication, strengthening stakeholder engagement, amplifying public outreach, building capacity, facilitating knowledge-sharing, advancing corporate branding, and maximising the impact of our programmes and initiatives.”
In his opening remarks, Mr Lawrence Masera, Communications Officer with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, highlighted the strategic importance for the peoples of SADC to be invested in the media strategy given that what happens in SADC impacts on all of us as a collective.
“Let me underscore that the responsibility of enhancing communication, awareness and visibility of SADC and its programmes and impact, rests with all of us, and not only the SADC Secretariat.
“It is our hope and belief that, once this Strategy is approved, all of us, will support its implementation, including the SADC National Media Coordinators, Media Experts and partners such as Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Editors Forum, the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) and Southern Africa Youth Forum who are present in this workshop,” said Mr Masera.
The meeting was supported by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ).
MISA Regional Communique
