Career Opportunity: Apply Now for a Fully Funded African Union Media Fellowship 2025-2026 

Deadline: 14 August 2024

The AU Media Fellowship 3.0 is guided by three core priorities: producing high-quality, impactful content; ensuring strong alignment with the objectives and institutional frameworks of the African Union; and expanding outreach to maximise the Fellowship’s reach and influence. By balancing these strategic areas, the Fellowship aims to remain sustainable, institutionally anchored, and scalable driving credible storytelling that supports Africa’s development agenda as outlined in Agenda 2063.

Thematic Tracks

In line with the mandates of the African Union and Africa’s development framework, Agenda 2063, the AU Media Fellowship Cohort 3 to be launched in will focus on 6 thematic tracks which cover various sectoral issues and applicants should ensure their applications are submitted in line with the theme(s) that are of their area of interest and focus under each thematic track.

Take Note: In each of the thematic tracks, it will be required that all content produced incorporates and addresses issues of women and youth to showcase aspects of economic empowerment and inclusion. In addition, the foundational role of education and training must be factored in.

FELLOWSHIP TIMELINE

SEP – DEC 2025

Induction, onboarding, and first study tour. Fellows begin pitch stories and complete online certified training and masterclasses.

JAN – MAR 2026

1-on-1 mentorship. Fellows attend AU events and visit AU HQ during the Annual Summit to produce pitch stories.

APR – JUN 2026

AU/Partner study tour, in-person training, and continued participation in best practice sharing.

JUL – AUG 2026

Another round of AU/Partner study tours and continued best practice training and sharing.

1. Economic Development And Regional Integration

This theme focuses on Africa’s strategic drive towards deeper economic integration, sustainable growth, and stronger intra-African cooperation. It seeks stories that unpack the people, policies, institutions, and innovations advancing the continent’s vision for shared prosperity and collective self-reliance under Agenda 2063.

Story proposals should address:

• How trade, tourism, investment, and industrialisation are being advanced through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• Efforts to integrate high-potential sectors such as aviation, particularly through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
• Strategies to promote integrated value chains, value addition in Africa’s commodities and mining industries, and the development of Africa’s green minerals sector.
• Initiatives promoting people-to-people integration, pan-Africanism, and human development through the Free Movement of Persons in Africa.
• Policies and initiatives supporting the financing of Africa’s development, including debt management, tax governance, enhancing the African Union’s financial autonomy, the impact of credit rating agencies, and measures to curb illicit financial flows.

2. Emerging Economic Sectors – Sports & Creative Industries

• The development of Africa’s sports economy, including its potential to drive economic growth, generate employment, foster youth development, boost tourism, and stimulate investment in sports infrastructure.
• The rise of Africa’s cultural and creative industries (CCIs) spanning performing and visual arts, audio-visual and multimedia production, publishing, music, gaming, interactive media, cultural heritage, architecture, and fashion with a focus on stories that advocate for increased investment and policy support to grow the CCIs into a leading economic sector for Africa’s future.

Reference Material:
Emerging Economic Sectors – Sports & the Culture and Creative Industries Plan of Action on Cultural and Creative Industries in Africa; AU Sports Council; Policy Framework for The Sustainable Development of Sport in Africa;

3. Agricultural Development & Environment Management

• • Investment in sustainable, modern agriculture and agribusiness in line with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
• • Initiatives promoting environmental sustainability and climate action through renewable energy, reforestation, and regional projects such as the Great Green Wall of Africa.
• • The emerging potential of Africa’s Blue Economy, including sustainable use of ocean and water resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and ecosystem health.

Reference materials include:

Agricultural Development & Environment Management The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP); CAADP Strategy and Action Plan; The Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy and Ten-Year Implementation Framework; The Great Green Wall Initiative Strategy and Ten-Year Implementation Framework; Africa Blue Economy Strategy; Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan ;

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4. Promoting Good Governance

• How good governance practices contribute to social and economic progress, peacebuilding, and stability.
• Initiatives that advance transparency, accountability, and the rule of law at local, national, or regional levels.
• Efforts to protect and promote human rights and strengthen democratic institutions as part of Africa’s development agenda under Agenda 2063.

Reference materials include:
Promoting Good Governance The African Peer Review Mechanism; The Africa Governance Report; AU Master Roadmap to Silence the Guns; Continental Framework for Youth, Peace and Security; Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Peace Building; African Union Human Rights Treaties; AU Treaties on Migration, Labour and Refugees; AU Treaties on Governance.

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5. Promoting Africa’s Public Health Systems

• Lessons learned from COVID-19, mpox, Ebola, Marburg, and other health emergencies and how they are shaping current strategies and preparedness plans
• The role of Africa CDC, national public health institutions, and partnerships in building robust, agile, and inclusive health systems.
• Unpacking the state of vaccine development, distribution, and equity across the continent — with a spotlight on local manufacturing and regional supply chains.
• Exploring how digital tools, laboratory networks, and data-driven systems are revolutionizing disease detection, response, and public trust.

Reference materials include:
Promoting Africa’s Public Health Systems Africa CDC’s New Public Health Order; Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM); Digital Transformation to strengthen public health systems; EU-Africa health systems initiatives.

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6. Infrastructure, Technology & Digital Innovation

• How investment in large-scale, interconnected infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies, and human capital development is advancing Africa’s industrialisation and economic integration.
• Efforts to promote clean and sustainable energy solutions to power Africa’s industries and support climate-resilient growth.
• The development of Africa’s emerging space industry, including its potential to drive technological innovation, data-driven decision-making, and regional collaboration.

Reference materials include:
Transforming Africa through Investment in Infrastructure, Technology and Digital Innovation Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA); The African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM); Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa; Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy; African Digital Compact; AU Data Policy Framework; The Continental (Power System) Master Plan (CMP); Africa-EU Energy Partnership; Global Gateway Africa – Europe Investment Package; Continental Energy Programme in Africa (CEPA); Continental Energy Programme in Africa (CEPA). Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA).

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