The nomination was made during the Pan-African Media Councils Summit, held from July 14 to 16 in Arusha, Tanzania. RMC's new role places it at the heart of efforts to promote press freedom, professional journalism, and regional cooperation in the face of digital-era media challenges.
Emmanuel Mugisha, Executive Secretary of RMC, said the nomination affirms the growing recognition of Rwanda's media development efforts and opens doors for stronger regional influence.
'It is an opportunity for RMC to influence media development, advocate for press freedom, and enhance the media sector's capacity across East Africa,' he told The New Times.
RMC's position on the NIMCA board comes as the continent grapples with urgent issues such as online misinformation, disinformation, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in journalism.
Mugisha noted that one of RMC's priorities will be working with regional counterparts to harmonise media standards and codes of ethics, particularly around the use of AI tools in news production.
'As a region, we agreed on the need to align AI-related media codes. This will help ensure responsible innovation without compromising journalistic integrity,' he said.
The summit, which also served as NIMCA's inaugural Annual General Meeting, brought together delegates from across the continent.
Participants emphasised the importance of digital literacy as a frontline defence against harmful online content and fake news, particularly in countries where internet access is growing faster than media literacy.
Calls were made for greater investment in journalist training, stronger collaboration with fact-checking organisations, and greater accountability for social media platforms. Delegates also urged education systems to integrate digital literacy into school curricula to equip young people with critical thinking skills online.
NIMCA's newly elected leadership includes Kennedy Mambwe of Zambia's Media Self-Regulation Council as President and Phathiswa Magopeni of South Africa's Press Council as Chairperson. RMC now joins a select group of regional representatives tasked with driving the network's agenda across East, West, and Southern Africa.
With its new continental mandate, RMC aims to promote collaboration, share best practices with peer institutions, and ensure that the East African Community (EAC) has a strong, unified voice in continental media discourse.
'Our participation will support knowledge exchange and collective problem-solving as we face the rapidly changing media landscape together,' Mugisha added.
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