SIMA 2026: Minister Bacary Sarr closes the show and wants to make it a diplomatic meeting for Senegal

The Minister of Communication and Relations with Institutions closed, in Dakar, the second edition of the International African Media Fair. He reaffirmed Senegal’s ambition to anchor the event over the long term.

After three days of discussions (October 8-10, 2026), it was Dr Bacary Sarr who lowered the curtain on the second edition of the International African Media Show (SIMA). The Minister of Communication and Relations with Institutions chaired the closing ceremony at the Grand Théâtre National Doudou Ndiaye Rose, where the show was held from October 8 to 10 around the theme “Building a sovereign and efficient media ecosystem in Africa”.

Pan-African mobilization

The minister first highlighted the strong participation from across the continent. Media professionals, experts, institutions and partners from Senegal, several African countries and other regions of the world traveled to discuss the future of the media landscape.

Dr Bacary Sarr also welcomed the contribution of the two guest countries of honor, the Federal Republic of Germany and Algeria. According to the ministry’s press release, their presence illustrated SIMA’s vocation to promote dialogue, the sharing of experiences and media cooperation between Africa and its partners.

SIMA, a tool of influence for Senegal

It is on the future of the show that the minister was most clear. He reaffirmed Senegal’s ambition to permanently include SIMA in its diplomatic agenda, in order to make it a regular event for dialogue, cooperation and influence in the service of African media. For Dakar, the event must therefore not remain a one-off event, but become a lever of influence.

Under the eye of the minister, the participants discussed the regulation and self-regulation of the media, economic models, the fight against disinformation, creative industries, female leadership, press freedom and narrative sovereignty.

Artificial intelligence has occupied a special place. According to the ministry, it represents both an opportunity for the media and a major challenge for the reliability of information, with new forms of disinformation to combat.

At the end of the ceremony, Dr Bacary Sarr thanked the partners, the Steering Committee, the Scientific Committee and the Maison de la Presse, as well as the professionals, speakers and teams mobilized for the success of this edition.

OBN