In October of 1997, through the leadership and direction of its Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur and its Vice Chairman, Dr. Erieka Bennett, the African Communications Agency (ACA), established a partnership with Cable News Network (CNN) and became CNN International’s first Africa-based advertising representative for regional sales in Africa. This union marked the first African partnership for CNN’s International advertising sales team, and signified the beginning of ACA’s ongoing campaign to show “another side of Africa” leading to the birth of Africa’s International Media Summit (AIMS) in 2006.

The AIMS concept was thus borne out of a conscious commitment to the long overdue re-branding of Africa, in accordance with its emerging and promising renaissance process.  The Summit is also designed to encourage, inspire and learn from the African-base and international media in all its forms and to provide support, information and assistance to stakeholders in the media industry, senior government representatives from across the continent and members of the Diaspora. AIMS is convened annually by the ACA in collaboration with the African Development Bank (ADB) and with the support of the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Diaspora African Forum (DAF).

Initially a five-year program, the ACA appreciates the fact that the process of re-branding Africa in consonance with its emerging and promising rebirth is a systematic and evolving process. Consequently, AIMS is being proposed as a ten-year process that will rotate around the various regions of Africa and internationally, in order to make it an effective discussion that will yield tangible results and action.

With its headquarters in Accra and offices in South Africa and Nigeria, the ACA has, since its inception, increasingly directed its energies toward establishing partnerships and developing initiatives to help change the negative perceptions of Africa that have been created and perpetuated by the media, and to introduce African businesses to a global marketplace.

The ACA celebrates individual and institutional achievements and accomplishments. Thus, the highlight of each AIMS conference is an awards banquet tagged: The Living Legends Banquet to honor individuals and/or organizations that are doing a great deal to help reshape the African Brand in the global community. Some past honorees since AIMS2006 were:

1. President Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa;
2. Secretary General Kofi Annan, Former Secretary General of the UN;
3. H.E. Ruth Sando Perry, Former President of Liberia;
4. Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laurent;
5. H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria;
6. H.E. Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Former Secretary of Commonwealth;
7. Muhammad Ali, Former Heavy Weight Champion.

AIMS2006, AIMS2007, AIMS2008, AIMS2009 and AIMS2010 were tremendous successes. There was media coverage from all over the world. The World Bank press conference was a raving success.  To this end, plans are underway for a monthly re-branding telecast from the banks around the world.

AIMS2011

AIMS2011 is intended as a two-day program with the aim of expressing gratitude to the Diaspora for their role in changing the image of Africa hence the theme ‘THE IMPACT OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA ON THE IMAGE OF AFRICA’ in line with the United Nations’ declaration of 2011 as the year of African Descendants.

The ACA recognises that the media is the major singular organ that will guarantee that Africa’s current rebirth and development efforts manifest into a positive image for the Continent. A roundtable discussion of the major media partners during AIMS2011 will play a major role in ensuring that these attempts and successes are conveyed to the global community. In attendance will be Stakeholders in the Media Industry such as, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Associated Press (AP), and Africa Recruit as well as Top Journalists from all over the World, with the responsibility of reporting news regarding the impact of the African Diaspora on the image of Africa. Also expected to attend will be government officials, individuals and organisations from the Diaspora.