KAS Media Africa supports African Journalists at the 2025 IPI World Congress in Vienna, Austria

KAS Media Africa supported African participation at the 2025 World Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI) and Media Innovation Festival. This year we brought together journalists from Ethiopia, South Africa and Mauritius, who were able to take part in discussions that examined the shifting global media landscape and the shared responsibility to protect independent journalism. Their participation ensured that African perspectives and experiences were represented in key debates affecting the future of media worldwide.

A significant highlight for the region came with the recognition of Tesfalem Waldyes Erago (Ethiopia), who was awarded the IPI-IMS World Congress Hero Award. The award honours individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and dedication to defending press freedom. Tesfalem’s work stands as a powerful reminder of the resilience and determination of journalists working under challenging conditions.

Over the course of the three-day programme, panel discussions and exchanges focused on urgent themes facing the sector, including; the defence of press freedom in increasingly hostile environments, the impact of artificial intelligence and dominant technology platforms on journalism, innovation strategies for audience engagement and trust,  and sustainable business models for public-interest media.

The Congress provided an invaluable platform for knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and solidarity among media professionals and organisations working to strengthen democratic information ecosystems.

KAS Media Africa remains committed to supporting journalists across the continent, advancing media freedom, and contributing to a resilient and pluralistic media environment in Africa.