Ethiopia has been selected to host the 5th edition of the Africa Media Convention (AMC) in May 2027, following a successful bid submitted by Ethiopian media organizations with the backing of the government.

The announcement was made during the 4th Africa Media Convention held on the sidelines of World Press Freedom Day celebrations in Lusaka on May 5, 2026. The gathering brought together hundreds of delegates, including officials from UNESCO, the African Union, as well as representatives of media unions and associations from across Africa.

Delivering the acceptance speech on behalf of the Ethiopian hosting team led by the Editors Guild of Ethiopia, Mesud Reta said preparations for the continental event were already underway.

According to him, a National Steering Committee had been established in January to coordinate preparations in collaboration with the Ethiopian government. He added that a Local Organising Committee would officially be launched later in May to spearhead logistical arrangements for the convention.

Mesud said the Ethiopian team was honoured by the decision to award the country hosting rights for the event, noting that Ethiopia’s historical role in promoting Pan-Africanism and its organizational experience would contribute to the success of the convention.

He further stated that AMC 2027 would provide African media professionals with “a rare opportunity and a sovereign platform to shape global narratives and amplify African voices.”

The Ethiopian delegation was formally notified of its successful bid through a letter dated December 25, 2025, signed by Susan Makore, following an evaluation conducted by the AMC Steering Committee on December 18, 2025.

Since its inaugural edition in Arusha in May 2022, the Africa Media Convention has grown into a major continental platform for discussions on press freedom, freedom of expression, democracy, and accountable governance. The initiative has continued to receive support from UNESCO, the African Union, and other international partners.

The second edition of the convention was hosted in Lusaka in May 2023, while the third edition took place in Accra in May 2024, attracting hundreds of participants from leading media organizations and international institutions.

However, plans to stage the 2025 edition in Morocco were unsuccessful due to a combination of challenges, according to the Steering Committee.

Addressing delegates in Lusaka, Churchill Otieno said significant progress had been made toward institutionalizing the convention through the drafting of an operational charter intended to guide the initiative in the years ahead.

The proposed charter was presented and discussed during the Lusaka meeting, with delegates recommending amendments aimed at strengthening AMC’s governance structure, improving regional representation, and ensuring more inclusive leadership reflective of the continent’s diversity and the plurality of media stakeholders.

As a result, plans to elect a new Steering Committee were postponed. Instead, delegates endorsed the establishment of a caretaker committee led by Otieno to oversee a 90-day transition period ahead of formal elections.

The mandate of the previous Steering Committee, elected in Lusaka in 2023 for a three-year term, officially ended in May 2026. The adoption of the new charter is expected to pave the way for the election of a new leadership team to guide the convention over the next three years.

Participants at the convention emphasized the need for further consultations on the charter to establish stronger provisions regarding leadership elections, regional balance, and membership criteria, as the AMC continues its evolution into a key continental institution.

Delegates also called on African media stakeholders and development partners to support the growth of the Africa Media Convention into a resilient and influential platform for dialogue on press freedom, freedom of expression, democratic governance, and accountability across the continent.