Africa at the forefront of the development of science journalism in French
Ten years ago, when I created Afriscitech with the ambition of covering scientific research conducted in Africa and by Africans, I would have dreamed of taking part in a conference of science journalists in Abidjan! My current activities do not allow me to take part in the one to be held at the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), but I am following the preparations with interest.
I am publishing the organizers’ press release here. I take this opportunity to reaffirm that the pages of this site are open to the publication and re-publication, in French and English, of all types of content concerning science produced in Africa.
Luc Allemand
Côte d’Ivoire will host the 2ᵉ World Conference of French-Speaking Science Journalists (CMJSF), an international gathering of around 100 professionals from Africa, Europe and North America, from June 9 to 14, 2025. The conference will be held at the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB) d’Abidjan, precisely at the Laboratoire des Sciences de la Communication, des Arts et de la Culture (LSACAC), one of the structures of the Unité de Formation et de Recherche en Information, Communication et Arts (UFRICA), academic partner of the event.
Placed under the theme “One Health”, this conference, according to Kossi Balao, president of the organizing committee, aims to increase the expertise of French-speaking science journalists for responsible coverage of human, animal and environmental health issues. “We also intend to launch a platform for collaboration between journalists and researchers on “One Health.”
“We are delighted that Côte d’Ivoire is hosting this strategic meeting. This is a unique moment of training, exchange and skills building for French-speaking science journalists, in a context where health and environmental crises are increasingly interconnected,” said Mr. Mamadou Traoré, President of the Côte d’Ivoire Association of Science Journalists called Médias pour Science et le Développement (MSD).
Professor André Banhouman KAMATE, Dean of UFRICA, welcomed the partnership: “The Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, through UFRICA, is proud to host this groundbreaking event. We will be making our infrastructure and expertise available to make this conference an academic and professional success. Our students and teachers will be fully involved.”
On the conference menu: round tables, expert panels, training workshops, field visits to research centers and a competition to award the best articles on science. It is organized by the Réseau des Journalistes Scientifiques d’Afrique Francophone (RJSAF) in collaboration with the Association des Journalistes Scientifiques de la Presse d’Information (AJSPI) in France, the Association Suisse du Journalisme Scientifique (ASJS) and the Association des Journalistes Scientifiques de Côte d’Ivoire dénommée Médias pour Science et le Développement (MSD).
