A delegation from the International Festival of Freedom of Expression and the Press (FILEP) and the Norbert Zongo National Press Centre has commended Namibia for its commitment to access to information and freedom of expression.

One of them, a media consultant at Mali Givean, Ndey Tapha Sosseh, made the remarks during their visit to the BBC.

The delegation was briefed about the operations and workflow at the News and Current Affairs Division.

A West African researcher, Dr. Caroline Da Costa, says media coalitions in West Africa tend to be ad hoc in nature, limiting their effectiveness in addressing issues journalists face in the region.

Media coalitions are generally aimed at fostering an enabling environment for journalism and freedom of expression.

Dr. Da Costa was commissioned by the Danish-based media development organisation International Media Support to investigate the challenges of media coalitions in a sub-region marked by military upheavals such as coup de tats.

Namibia is due to receive special recognition in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, later this evening at an award ceremony of the International Festival for Freedom of Expression and the Press (FILEP).

The award is in recognition of consistently maintaining the number one ranking in media freedom by Reporters Without Borders.

The 10th edition of the FILEP in Ouagadougou brought together more than 200 participants from 40 countries.

The 10th International Festival of Freedom of Expression and the Press (IFFEP) will bestow Namibia an award for its consistent top-ranking position on media freedom in Africa on Saturday evening.

The award ceremony will take place at 22:00 and will be broadcast live on nbc2 or channel 283 on DSTV.

The game between South Africa's Springboks and England in the second semi-final of the Rugby World Cup will be live on nbc1 starting just after the news at eight.

Participants in a panel discussion on Media, Law and Digital Responsibility at the ongoing International Festival on Freedom of Expression and the Press (FILEP) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, agreed that maintaining and upholding professionalism in journalism is critical.

As part of the festival, several panel discussions have been lined up, dealing with pertinent issues affecting the media landscape.

Among many others was the discussion on Media, Law and Digital Responsibility in which nbc's Chief News and Programming Officer, Menesia Muinjo, took part.

The 10th edition of the International Festival of Freedom of Expression and the Press started in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The Pan-African meeting will move into higher gear with the official opening expected tomorrow.

As part of its main mission to promote and defend freedom of expression and the media, the festival will pay special tribute to Namibia for its consistent number-one ranking in Africa in terms of media freedom.

The United Nations estimates that close to 260 million people in close to 60 countries around the world face acute food insecurity that requires urgent intervention.

The report by the Food Security Information Network attributed the status quo to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, and weather phenomena.

The report was launched by the Global Network Against Food Crises, an international alliance of the UN, the EU, and governmental and non-governmental agencies working to tackle food crises.

The 36th ordinary session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government has decided to maintain the suspensions of Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Sudan from the continental body.

The four countries have been under military rule following coups between 2020 and 2022.

Following the ECOWAS recommendation to the AU, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea were suspended.

Sudan followed, as was called for under the continental body's constitutive act, following a coup by the army two years ago.