THE Common Markets for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) media, in a bid to promote Comesa activities and regional integration, is to start awarding best journalists in Comesa member countries.

This was said recently in the second consultative meeting for Comesa-media information managers and directors that was held at Prime holdings.

"We are to start awarding all journalists who are Comesa nationals and report Comesa activities”, Augustine Phiri, Editor-in-chief, Zambia News and information services said.
The annual awards will target print, Radio, Television, photo journalists and there shall be overall prizes in each of the journalism categories.

Dr Moses Tekere, from the Comesa secretariat said that are journalists including freelancers are eligible for the award. Entries shall be based on works which have been published/broadcast between January and December of the year preceding the award presentations.
The Director of Rwanda Bureau of Information and Broadcasting, Oscar Kimanuka said these awards are one of the best programs journalists have to take seriously to promote their journalistic career and economic development in their respective countries.

He also said public and private media as agenda setters in our communities have a big role to play in promoting regional and economic development.

"With media organizations charged with news dissemination in Comesa region of about 400 million people, I believe we can cooperate to deliver the benefits of public broadcasting to our region,” Kimanuka added.

The upcoming media awards are slated for May in 2008 in Lusaka, Zambia.
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