BY NEBIYOU WONDWOSEN NIGATU
Digital Media Managing Editor, Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, Ethiopia
In African newsrooms, we often discuss a persistent problem: seeing our own world through someone else’s eyes. For years, I have sat at an editorial desk in Addis Ababa, processing stories about China’s engagement in Africa. Like many journalists, I’ve relied on Western agencies and second-hand reports to fill our international pages. I have watched infrastructure projects change our continent, but only through the detached lens of foreign statistics and distant press releases.
Preparing to travel to Jiangsu Province for the 2026 Belt and Road Journalists Forum (BRJF), those distant narratives are suddenly becoming real. This will be my first time visiting China, presenting a crucial opportunity to rethink how African media reports on global affairs. The old, centralized methods of gathering news simply do not work in today’s shifting landscape.
This year’s BRJF theme focuses on connectivity, innovation, and media transformation. To me, this is far more than a catchy slogan; it is an urgent mandate to take back our own narrative and redefine how developing nations’ newsrooms operate globally.
Traditional structures in international journalism have continually pushed developing nations to the periphery. Sitting in Addis Ababa, Nairobi, or Accra, we read about ourselves through the manufactured lenses of New York or London. However, my first impression of China’s approach to global governance is a genuine desire to change this imbalance. I see a deliberate effort to create platforms where different cultures can engage in authentic dialogue on equal footing.
My journey begins in Nanjing, a historic city and the capital of Jiangsu Province. As a young editor stepping onto Chinese soil, I want to observe how rapid modernization harmonizes with ancient culture. I am eager to see how they balance explosive economic growth with environmental protection. This is deeply relevant to Ethiopia right now as we build dams, railways, and smart cities. I will take notes on how Jiangsu navigates fast- paced development, bringing practical lessons back to our newsroom.
The October 16 seminars will be vital for our future strategy. China’s integration of Artificial Intelligence into media offers developing nations an essential blueprint; we cannot afford to be left behind in the AI race. Furthermore, in an era of rampant fake news, cooperating directly with Global South media is a matter of survival. If a major event occurs elsewhere, I should be able to call a local editor to verify facts directly, rather than waiting for an outside agency.
This is exactly why the “International Home of Journalists” and the “Global South Journalists Workshop” matter. I am going to Nanjing to build a resilient network. When complex global policies need decoding, I want direct lines to editors in Beijing, Pretoria, Jakarta, and Buenos Aires to ensure an independent African media.
By stepping away from my editing desk, I aim to grasp the bigger picture. I am going to Nanjing to build bridges, ask tough questions, and bring vital insights back to Addis Ababa so we can finally write our own history.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.