2023-11-02 14:57:34
Beninese journalist Cécile Goudou, editorial secretary at the national radio of Benin, was elected head of the Dupont-Verlon Network for Investigative Journalism (REJI). It was at the end of the official launch of the association this Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at the Institute of Communication Sciences and Techniques of Côte d’Ivoire (ISTC) in Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.
The REJI brings together the winners of the prestigious scholarship established by Radio France Internationale since 2014 in memory of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon murdered in Kidal in Mali in 2013. It was launched on the sidelines of the 10th edition of the Ghislaine Dupont Claude Verlon scholarship.
Genesis and issues
Newly elected head of REJI, Cécile Goudou took the opportunity to remind the audience of the genesis of the initiative. The Beninese journalist explained that the challenge of creating REJI is to perpetuate the legacy of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, and promote the excellence of investigative journalism in Africa and beyond.
Cécile Goudou also insisted on the challenges to be taken up to establish the REJI in an environment almost saturated by journalist associations. For her, future prospects must focus on the promotion of excellent journalism on the continent. The latter must prioritize the highlighting of African stories by Africans. Thus the REJI slogan can be summed up in these words: train, train to better inform.
Support and light
Other highlights marked this launch ceremony in which trainees from the 10th cohort of the scholarship and ISTD students took part as well as the delegation from France Médias Monde (FMM) and RFI led by the CEO of FMM, Marie-Christine Zaragoza. The latter praised the initiative and the work done by the members of the REJI to perpetuate the memory of the two RFI reporters who lost their lives in the exercise of their duties.
For Marie-Christine Zaragosse, by setting up the REJI, the scholarship holders went well beyond the aspirations and expectations expressed when this scholarship was established. Furthermore, she called on the REJI to think about a form of collaboration with a view to financial support from the FMM group for the network, to allow young Africans to be interconnected with each other.
For his part, Denis Chastel, president of the association of friends of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, was delighted to know that this fight for the truth which is theirs, will now also be carried further by the REJI. The association chaired by Denis Chastel has been fighting for more than ten years to shed light on the assassination of the two reporters.
#Media #Cécile #Goudou #takes #charge #DupontVerlon #Network #investigative #journalism