Dakar, Senegal – 28 January 2026 — The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) has entered into a strategic partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) to strengthen and amplify African media voices on water, environment, and climate issues. Formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Dakar, the partnership marks a significant step toward enhancing accurate, compelling, and locally grounded reporting on the water challenges shaping Africa’s future.
The collaboration seeks to improve how complex water and environmental data are communicated, supporting journalists in interpreting evidence, contextualizing science, and translating information into meaningful stories that resonate with communities and decision-makers. By strengthening media capacity across the continent, the partnership aims to ensure that African perspectives and lived realities are reflected in regional and global narratives.
The partnership inaugurates the African Secretariat of the Global Media Academy, which will be hosted and operated by AUB under the guidance of UNU-INWEH. AUB will provide the technical infrastructure, staffing, and operational support required to advance the Academy’s work, reinforcing long-term capacity development and institutional ownership across the continent.
The Global Media Academy is an educational initiative led by UNU-INWEH and developed in collaboration with HEC Montréal, aimed at strengthening knowledge and capacity on global water and climate change–related challenges. The Academy promotes effective science communication through targeted capacity building for media professionals, journalists, broadcasters, and social media influencers worldwide. Dr. Javad Mottaghi, representing HEC Montréal, serves as Lead of the Global Media Academy, guiding its global vision and implementation. This partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting marks the Academy’s second regional collaboration, following the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Secretariat of the Global Media Academy, hosted and operated by Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) to enhance environmental, water, health, and climate reporting across the Asia-Pacific region.
Global narratives on water too often marginalize diverse perspectives and overlook the lived realities of Member States. The Global Media Academy responds to this gap by equipping a new generation of journalists with the skills to assess evidence, judge information critically, and tell inclusive, locally grounded stories drawn directly from the field.
“The stories of people need to be told,” said Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH. “This partnership is about equipping media with the ability to judge information and tell stories that come from the field—stories that connect data, science, and human experience in ways that can inform action.”
Mr. Grégoire Ndjaka, Director General (CEO) of the African Union of Broadcasting, underscored the broader role of media in global discourse, noting that the partnership reflects how media “recognize the transformative role of media in addressing the global challenges of our time.” He emphasized that strengthening journalistic capacity is essential to ensuring that media can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and public understanding.
Through training, mentorship, and collaborative content development, the partnership will support journalists across Africa in reporting on water security, climate resilience, governance, and environmental sustainability. It will also promote stronger connections between scientists, policymakers, and media professionals, reinforcing the media’s role as a bridge between knowledge and society.
By hosting and operating the African Secretariat of the Global Media Academy, AUB will play a central role in coordinating regional engagement and sustaining impact. Together, UNU-INWEH and AUB aim to elevate African voices within global water dialogues and foster a media ecosystem that reflects the continent’s diversity, expertise, and leadership in water and environmental stewardship.
Media Contact:
Kyra Bowman, UNU Head of Communications, bowman@unu.edu
