Connect for Culture Africa Bridging West Africa Through Culture

In a landmark gathering of cultural policymakers, industry experts, and institutional stakeholders, the Connect for Culture Africa (CfCA) initiative convened a West African Regional Roundtable in Segou, Mali from May 17–18, 2025. Framed within the broader goal of “connecting the continent through culture,” the event advanced one of CfCA’s central objectives: mobilizing African States to prioritize the Culture and Creative Industries (CCIs) to realize their full socio-economic value

Hosted within a framework of a continental festival- Fondation Festival sur le Niger, the roundtable created a strategic space for regional actors to reflect on funding challenges, share best practices, and articulate bold, region-specific pathways for sustainable cultural investment. Participants included representatives from public ministries, national arts councils, copyright offices, regional networks, and civil society from Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, the DRC, Zambia, and Kenya.

From Vision to Action: Best Practices in Regional Cultural Financing

Across the discussions, several effective models emerged:

• Burkina Faso’s Tourism and Cultural Development Fund (FDCT) was highlighted as a blueprint for multi-source public funding—combining state support, levies, and presidential allocations to empower local content creation and export.
• Zambia showcased its progressive approach, with public cultural funding surging from modest figures to ZMW 18 million, the establishment of a dedicated Department of Arts, and the integration of pension and insurance schemes for registered creatives.
• Niger and Guinea shared experiences with national development funds supporting dozens of projects annually, with efforts focused on decentralized access and regional parity.

Importantly, civil society and private actors such as the African Culture Fund (ACF) offered alternatives through artist-led governance, merit-based funding, and reinvestment models built on community ownership and sustainability.

These examples underscored CfCA’s message: there is no lack of innovation or initiative on the continent—only a need to scale and synchronize these efforts.

Regional Commitments Reinforce CfCA’s Pan-African Advocacy

Ms. Aida Koné, Bureau Malien du Droit d’Auteur (Malian Copyright Office)

The roundtable reaffirmed the urgency of institutionalizing structured dialogue between governments, civil society, and creatives. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships, improved copyright and levy systems, and professionalization of the sector to transform CCIs into economically viable and export-ready industries.

Notably, the roundtable echoed CfCA’s advocacy message: “Culture is not an accessory to development—it is its foundation.” Through targeted data collection, legislative reform, and cross-ministerial collaboration, in attendance reaffirmed their support for public funding frameworks that reflect this reality.

CfCA as a Continental Connector

Speaking on behalf of CfCA, Ms. Beatrice Waruinge emphasized,
“This roundtable has not only spotlighted innovative models but also reaffirmed the growing momentum across the continent. Public investment in the sector is more than an act—it’s a political and economic declaration that culture matters.”

The discussions also served to reinforce CfCA’s function as a convening platform, aligning regional voices around shared policy objectives while offering technical and strategic support to national advocacy campaigns.

Participants collectively called for:
-Strengthening data and impact research to inform budget advocacy
-Establishing independent, accountable national and regional cultural funds
-Advancing youth- and artist-led advocacy movements
-Integrating CCIs into broader development planning and fiscal frameworks

These calls resonate deeply with CfCA’s work across its five focus countries—Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania—where national working groups continue to influence budgetary conversations and shape public discourse on the value of culture.

Looking Ahead: Culture as a Driver of Unity and Transformation

As Africa endeavours to change the CCI’s trajectory, the Segou roundtable reasserted the role of regional dialogues in ensuring bottom-up accountability and top-level policy action.

The West African region is rich with success stories and policy commitments—what remains is the collective will to scale, protect, and sustain them. With CfCA’s growing continental network, platforms like this roundtable are key to achieving an Africa where culture is funded, prioritized, and protected—not just in principle, but in practice.