The 2021 edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) has been scheduled for October 22 and 23 in Accra, Ghana. The theme for this year’s event is Misinformation, Digital Media Regulation and Journalism in Africa.

The event will be a combination of both virtual and in-person meetings. It will feature journalists, editors, media development experts, academics, and representatives from the public sector, civil society organisations, and other regional and international organisations.

Conversations at the Conference will focus on issues such as the escalating phenomenon of Misinformation and how it impacts trust in the media and the information that people receive; the rising spate of Digital Media Regulation in Africa – the best practices, pitfalls to avoid and how to draw a fine line between censorship, freedoms and responsibilities.

Participants will deliberate, share lessons and experiences and proffer key recommendations on improving the media going forward.

The Awards Ceremony will honour journalists in West Africa who have produced compelling works that are positively impacting lives in society. The call for entries for the awards ceremony opens on May 3, 2021.

WAMECA is an initiative of the MFWA to promote media excellence in the sub-region. The Conference brings together stakeholders in the media industry in West Africa and beyond to deliberate on key challenges to media development and explore ways to support the media to promote good governance, regional integration and peace.