AFRIMA President, Global Experts Map Out New Direction For Culture At Morocco Forum

The President of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Mr Mike Dada, joined leading cultural and creative industry experts from across the world to discuss the future of Africa’s cultural sector at the 3rd Moroccan Forum of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) in Rabat, Morocco.

The event, which took place from December 11 to 14, 2025, was organised under the ‘High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI’ and hosted by the HIBA Foundation, a cultural organisation established by the King to support the growth of Morocco’s creative economy.

This year’s forum brought together policymakers, investors, cultural operators, academics, and creative professionals from countries including Senegal, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Belgium, Germany, France, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and Quebec. Over four days, they examined how African countries can strengthen their cultural ecosystems and increase the economic value of their creative industries.

Mr Dada, a lawyer, Public Relations Consultant and creative economy expert who represented AFRIMA and the African music sector, joined a major panel session titled “Towards a Pan-African Federation of Cultural Operators: What lessons can be drawn from past experiences, and how can we project forward?” The conversation focused on how African countries can share knowledge, build stronger partnerships, and promote cultural exchange across borders.

During the discussion, Mr Dada highlighted AFRIMA’s work with the African Union and how the awards platform has helped to project African music to a global audience. He also stressed the need for investment, training, and collaboration to grow the continent’s cultural industries and provide more opportunities for young creatives.

He said, “Africa’s creative industry is not just growing; it is becoming a powerful economic force. What we need now is stronger cooperation across the continent, better policies, and sustainable investment. If we can achieve that, our cultural sector will contribute far more to national development than it does today.

“This forum gives us the platform to exchange ideas, learn from global partners, and build a shared vision for African culture. Conversations like this help us understand what is working, what needs to change, and how we can move forward together as one creative continent.

“Through AFRIMA, we continue to promote African music to the world, support young creatives, and strengthen partnerships between countries. Our goal is to make sure African talent is visible, respected, exposed to global opportunities and celebrated everywhere.”

As part of the event, Mr Dada attended a special reception hosted by the Ambassador of France to Morocco, Mr Christophe Lecourtier, on December 12, where cultural leaders interacted and explored new partnership opportunities.

AFRIMA is Africa’s global music awards platform established in 2014 by the International Committee AFRIMA and the African Union (AU) to celebrate, reward, and promote Africa’s diverse musical talents and rich cultural heritage globally, and its 9th Edition is scheduled to hold on January 7-11, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria. The event is broadcast live in more than 84 countries around the world.