It is organised by African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the World Bank in collaboration with USAID and the West Africa Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission.
The workshop, under the theme ‘Harnessing the Power of Media to Raise Awareness on Africa’, is being attended by journalists from print, online, radio and TV media outlets in Africa.
The overall objective of the workshop is to enable African journalists who are covering fisheries to make informed, knowledge-based and fact-based reporting on fisheries issues.
The forum is expected to create the needed awareness in countries and hence the necessary enabling environment for the reforms in the development and management of fisheries and aquaculture in Africa.
Speaking to journalists shortly before departure, BAJ Gambia director said he hopes to leave the workshop with a set of facts and contacts of people and institutions which hold accurate information on fisheries.
Mr Njie said the conduct of the workshop is envisaged to contribute to increased availability of long-term political commitment on the part of African governments to undertake and maintain sustainable fisheries reforms.
The publisher of Mansa Banko blog, Njie is a tech savvy journalist keen about using the new media as a tool to disseminate information, collaborate and stir up progressive interaction.
He thanked the management of BAJ Gambia for giving him the opportunity to participate in “this important training”.