Sudan Tribune editor selected by APO to participate in AfDB annual meeting
May 12, 2014 (JUBA) – The African Press Organization (APO) announced on Monday that a Sudan Tribune editor won its invitation to participate in the annual Meeting of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) taking place in Kigali, Rwanda next week.
“Mr. Uma will travel to Kigali to cover the entire event and will have the opportunity to interview experts and senior officers from the AfDB,” said AFO in a statement.
“We believe the media has an essential role to play in the development of the African continent. This falls coincidentally following the first face-to-face meeting between President Kiir and rebel leader Machar since the eruption in December 2013 of South Sudan’s civil war that claimed the lives of thousands of South Sudanese. APO works towards offering journalists the tools they need to do their job properly: more transparency, access to information in real-time and capacity building”, said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, founder and CEO of APO.
“We are delighted for Julius and hope that this experience at the 2014 AfDB Annual Meetings, will help him strengthen his already strong journalistic skills. Just like the BBC, APO aims to increase the capacity of the Sudanese media to play a role on the continent by increasing opportunities for development at a Pan African level” Pompigne-Mognard added.
Uma congratulated his colleagues in an email on Monday for their “team work” that helped him win the competitive continental invitation.
“Allow me say thank you for your continued support and team work,” he wrote.
A graduate of Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, Uma spent two years of his student life working as political editor for Masscom online, which was managed by the Mass Communication department, before joining Sudan Tribune in April 2010.
He covered the general elections which took place that month and the following year the referendum Southern Sudan that led to the creation of South Sudan as an independent state.
He has also contributed articles and written features to a number of international publications, including Inter-Press Service (IPS) and Christianity Today, and Uganda’s leading publications such as Daily Monitor, The Observer and The New Vision newspapers.
Uma has received awards from a number of organisations and institutions, including World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and South Sudan government’s recognition of Sudan Tribune’s exceptional coverage of the 2011 referendum vote.
Sudan Tribune‘s founder and editor-in-chief Mohamed Nagi praised Uma’s “strong dedication and commitment” to the newspaper’s mission.
“We are delighted that APO picked a fine journalist like Uma. It is a testament to his skills and exemplary work ethics that helped affirm Sudan Tribune‘s status as the top English-language news source on north and south Sudan,” Nagi said.
“Uma is a true asset to Sudan Tribune as a news organisation and his colleagues as a mentor and a team member,” he added.
Sudan Tribune (http://www.sudantribune.com) is an independent news portal, which was established in 2003, to disseminate accurate and up to date information and promote democratic and free debate on Sudan and South Sudan.
It is now the most popular English-language news publication in the two countries.
The website is run by a team of independent local and international journalists and editors.
(ST)