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.
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."