CMG 'Our African Partners 2026' media event spotlit at the 17th AUB General Assembly in The Gambia

The 17th General Assembly of the African Union of Broadcasting was held in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia from April 16 to 17. The event coincided with the 20th anniversary of the organization. As an international member of the AUB, China Media Group sent a delegation to attend the assembly.

During the event, CMG co-hosted the “Our African Partners 2026” media event with the AUB, attracting nearly 100 media executives and representatives from over 50 member states.

The media event, themed “China-Africa Media: Empowering People-to-People Exchanges,” featured CMG Africa's innovative technology exhibition booth, showcasing a range of cutting-edge achievements including its Media-Oriented Large Model 2.0, Voiceprint Replication, and an AI Technology Application Showcase.

During the event, Ismaila Ceesay, The Gambia's Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, visited the CMG exhibition booth and expressed strong admiration for China Media Group's innovations, particularly its use of artificial intelligence in media practices, while commending the organization's work.

At the “Our African Partners 2026” media event, Ms. Song Jianing, Bureau Chief of China Media Group Africa Bureau, Mr. Grégoire Djaka, Chief Executive Officer of the African Union of Broadcasting, and Mr. Abdoulie Sey, Director General of Gambia Radio and Television Service, delivered on-site remarks.

Ms. Song said that earlier this year, senior representatives from China and Africa jointly launched the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, building a new bridge for people-to-people connectivity between China and Africa. She noted that the media are important builders of this bridge, carrying the key mission of telling China-Africa stories well and conveying the voices of both sides.

Taking the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity, China Media Group looks forward to exchanges and mutual learning with African partners, exploring media development models more suited to local contexts in Africa, and leveraging technology to empower China-Africa cultural communication.

African Union of Broadcasting Chief Executive Officer Grégoire Djaka said that the AUB and China Media Group have maintained close cooperation in recent years and have successfully co-hosted multiple media events. He expressed appreciation for CMG's support and voiced hope that the two sides will further deepen their cooperation in the future.

Abdoulie Sey, Director General of Gambia Radio and Television Service, said that in recent years China Media Group has been steadily expanding its influence in Africa and has achieved notable results in cooperation with African media organizations. He added that The Gambia hopes to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges with Chinese media partners in areas such as content, technology, and personnel in the future.

China Media Group engaged in program exchange and content-sharing cooperation with African media organizations during the event. It presented a number of its outstanding programs to the African Union of Broadcasting and the Gambia Radio and Television Service.

As one of the highlights and achievements of China-Africa people-to-people exchanges, China Media Group Africa Bureau launched a special live broadcast on the East African Great Migration for two consecutive years from 2024 to 2025. In June 2025, the live coverage was awarded the Special Prize for Excellence in People-to-People Exchange and Technological Innovation by the African Union of Broadcasting. At the event, CMG Africa Bureau shared its production concepts and technological innovation behind the coverage, which received wide appreciation and positive feedback from African media representatives.

As the highlight and closing event of the African Union of Broadcasting General Assembly, a special gala dinner marking its 20th anniversary was held on the evening of April 17 in Banjul.

During the event, in recognition of the contributions made by China Media Group as an international member to China-Africa media cooperation, the AUB presented Special Contribution Award trophies to Song Jianing, Head of CMG Africa Bureau, and Han Xu, a reporter from CMG Dakar Station.