Paris to Allocate Funds to Increase Media Presence in Africa, Middle East, Reports Say

CC BY 3.0 / John Dyer / The French flag
The French flag - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 28.11.2023
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PARIS (Sputnik) - Despite the desire to change France's image in Africa that President Emmanuel Macron has expressed since his election, the French leader has suffered diplomatic setbacks. Due to the increasing anti-french sentiment, France is seeking to enhance its media presence on the continent.
The French Foreign Ministry will invest $5.5 million (5 million euros) a year in French media to strengthen the country's media presence in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, media reported on Monday.
The France Media Monde media group, which also includes the RFI radio station and the France24 broadcaster, received government assistance to develop its hubs and launch new projects in these three regions, the newspaper reported.
In 2024, France Media Monde's budget will increase by 6.7% and amount to $332.7 million (304 million euros), the report added. In particular, in 2024-2028, four projects are planned to be launched in addition to the RFI service in Ukrainian, for which the French Foreign Ministry has already allocated funding of $1.09 million (1 million euros) per year.
France Media Monde also plans to open an office in Beirut to strengthen its presence in the Arabic-language media segment, the report read.
This combination of file pictures created on August 3, 2023, shows the logo of the live news channel France 24 (L) taken on April 9, 2019, at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris and the logo of Radio France Internationale (RFI) (R) taken on April 9, 2019, at Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris.. On August 3, 2023, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared in a press release very firmly condemning the broadcast suspension of French medias France 24 and RFI (Radio France International) in Niger, where a coup overthrew the elected president. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 04.08.2023
Situation in Niger After Military Coup
Niger Blocks French Media Outlets France 24, RFI From Broadcasting
RFI and France24 were blocked in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following the coups in these countries.
In 2022, Mali's Territorial Administration and Decentralization Minister, Government Spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga signed a communique, according to which, the interim authorities of the coup-hit state censored RFI and France24 in the country, alleging the media of "destabilising the transition" and "discrediting" Mali's security forces.
Several French press outlets were also ousted in Burkina Faso. In an exclusive interview with Sputnik Africa, Burkinabe President of the Transition Ibrahim Traore said that the country would "not tolerate the media coming to try to intoxicate our populations and try to manipulate them, to make subversive propaganda."
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