What can the media do about migration flows?

Gathered in Gaborone for the 15th General Assembly of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), experts debated the crucial role of the media in the face of the scale of migration at a time when tragedies are multiplying. From borders to screens, journalists largely shape the narrative of migration. How can we reconcile the imperative to inform with the need not to fuel fears and divisions? This is the complexity of the task facing media professionals...

A total of 39 dead and dozens of grieving families. The tragedy took place on September 8, 2024, off the coast of Senegal. Young people had taken a place in a makeshift boat in order to reach Europe via the Spanish archipelago of the Canaries. The pirogue carrying more than 150 people capsized a few kilometres from the town of Mbour shortly after its departure. The day after this tragedy, the Senegalese Navy intercepted two other pirogues carrying more than 400 people. Despite this heavy toll, nothing seems to stop the bleeding.

According to a chilling report by the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras published this year, no fewer than 5,504 people lost their lives trying to reach Spain between January and May 2024; that is, nearly 33 deaths per day. A terrible rate that equates to one life broken every 45 minutes. What is the responsibility of the media in the face of these devastating tragedies? How can the media, as key actors, contribute to a better understanding of the root causes of migration and the promotion of sustainable solutions? Beyond borders, what is the power of the media in migration management? These are some of the questions raised during the panel organized by the AUB with the theme: Migrations: towards another destiny; challenges and opportunities. Can the media play a role?

Moderated by Dr. Javad Mottaghi, Professor at Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) in Montreal, Canada, the panel brought together three figures from the African, European and Asian media scene: Cléophas Barore, President of the Executive Board of the AUB, also Director General of the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA); Simona Martorelli, Director of International and European Affairs at RAI (Italian Radio and Television) and Shashi Shekkar Vempati, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Doordarshan TV, in India (by videoconference from Bungalor).

An unprecedented global phenomenon, migrations are transforming the face of our planet. Whether economic, political or climatic, these forced or chosen displacements are the result of multiple factors: inequalities, conflicts, climate change, political repression, lack of jobs, family reunification, quest for a better future, among others.

More than 250 million people today live far from their homeland, uprooted by events that sometimes go beyond their control. Among them, 65 million have fled armed conflicts, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The situation of migrants, often facing precariousness, discrimination and isolation, demonstrates the urgency of acting to build a fairer world.

Some participants at the AUB General Assembly say if Europe is currently welcoming an impressive number of migrants, it is because European countries themselves have a history marked by imperialism and colonization. These complex past influences current perceptions of migration and the policies implemented.

For others, however, although the colonial history of many European countries has shaped current international relations and contributed to creating economic and social imbalances, the challenges of current migration cannot be reduced to a simple question of historical responsibility.

In Botswana, discussions between panellists and the public highlighted pressing concerns such as the need to provide information on the realities of host countries and the situation in the continents or countries of departure. The media could thus play a key role in the fight against racism, hate speech, xenophobia, discrimination based on gender, origin, religion, fake news and deep fakes. By highlighting local success stories on the continent, promoting good governance in all its forms, denouncing obstacles such as the confiscation of freedoms, corruption, favouritism that create inequalities and push young people to leave their countries of origin, the media will cease to be passive spectators.

The experts also stressed the importance of intensifying the exchange of content on migration between the media in Africa, Europe and Asia. The Memorandum of Understanding between the African Union of Broadcasting and the Latin American Information Alliance (AIL) concluded on June 24, 2024 in the Canary Islands demonstrates the AUB's desire to find solutions to this scourge.

Far from being unanimous, questions about migration continue to generate much ink and saliva.

At the end of the discussions, the Director General of the AUB, Grégoire Ndjaka, announced the organization of a major African Forum on Migration, dedicated to communication professionals, young people and decision-makers. This ambitious initiative, in the making for two years, aims to bring together key players in the sector to reflect together on the challenges related to migration. It will be held in 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda.