Emirates Information Company – International Media Congress helps foster constructive synergies by offering this worldwide platform: MediaCity Mauritius CEO

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A man with short gray hair and a beard is wearing a light gray suit jacket and a white shirt. He is looking directly at the camera against a plain background. This portrait was taken during the International Media Congress hosted by Emirates Information Company.

ABU DHABI, thirteenth November, 2022 (WAM) – “By offering the {industry} with this worldwide platform, the International Media Congress helps foster constructive synergies that we wish to replicate in Mauritius,” in response to a prime media official within the Indian Ocean island nation.

The primary version of the International Media Congress (GMC) is about to happen in Abu Dhabi from fifteenth to seventeenth November, 2022.

Organised by ADNEC Group in partnership with the Emirates Information Company (WAM), the GMC is a chance for an awesome leap ahead within the area’s and the globe’s media sector.

“The UAE instance exhibits how collaboration between and integration of media {industry} gamers end in constructive outcomes. The Dubai media metropolis has demonstrated this. In actual fact current media cities usually are not rivals however reasonably alternatives, as a result of the tenants of those media cities can even wish to settle in new markets. These firms are presently trying to set up themselves on the continent, and profit from the brand new alternatives it has to supply,” Najib Gouiaa, MediaCity Mauritius CEO, mentioned in an interview with native media.

 

“Our purpose is to convey collectively African and worldwide firms from throughout the sector. And we wish to be recognised because the main world media metropolis in Africa, serving as a artistic hub, together with the likes of Dubai, Seoul, Salford and others.”

“We’re enormously inspired by what the UAE has been capable of obtain within the world media house due to Dubai media metropolis and extremely priceless initiatives such because the GMC. It’s a mannequin we wish to replicate by making MediaCity Mauritius Africa’s main media hub for content material creation, digital manufacturing, world interplay, and native collaboration.”

In line with him, tradition and creativity are vital financial drivers that create jobs, foster financial development, and have a constructive affect on city improvement. The longer term media metropolis will allow Mauritius to place itself in a market that has monumental financial potential by growing a platform able to internet hosting the African headquarters or subsidiaries of worldwide media teams and communications businesses, in addition to audio-visual, online game and eSport firms.


Najib Gouiaa famous, “The enterprise mannequin is tried and examined, not least within the UAE. By offering artistic {industry} gamers with a possibility to determine themselves in MediaCity Mauritius and increase their actions from there, the nation will purchase a brand new income and development, which is especially important given the present financial context.”

 

Following is the total interview:

MediaCity Mauritius: A world gateway to Africa for the artistic and media industries

An interview with the MediaCity Mauritius CEO, Najib Gouiaa

On the media and inventive industries come collectively in Abu Dhabi for the International Media Congress stakeholders argue that the sector is a significant driver of financial development worldwide. The {industry} is altering for the higher: the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a surge in subscriptions to streaming companies, and the rising significance of know-how are all having profound results on how customers and producers work together with all types of media. As such, the artistic sector has not been affected by the downturn attributable to the worldwide well being disaster, and it has, quite the opposite, continued to develop regardless of lockdown constraints. The approaching years look extremely promising for this sector. The African digital content material market is not any exception to this upward pattern, having expanded dramatically over the previous few years – a pattern that’s set to proceed. Now greater than ever, many well-known firms in Europe and Asia’s media cities wish to develop a presence in Africa to faucet into the potential of this rising market. The MediaCity Mauritius challenge is taking that opportune second to understand a singular, multifunctional artistic and enterprise idea, supposed as a world-class centre for worldwide manufacturing enterprises, artistic businesses, online game firms and world media.

MediaCity Mauritius is attending the GMC, and we spoke to its CEO, Najib Gouiaa, who advised us: “Our ambition could be very a lot in keeping with the rising globalisation of the artistic and media industries. We all know that main gamers in these industries are continually increasing their world footprint to be current in new markets. By establishing a media metropolis devoted to Africa, thereby becoming a member of the prevailing community of media hubs all over the world, MediaCity Mauritius would be the gateway connecting the worldwide media {industry} to the African market. Such an endeavour represents an enormous alternative for the continent to understand its long-awaited artistic and business potential.”

A world multi-media hub for Africa providing prime broadcast and manufacturing services to world gamers

MediaCity Mauritius will home a mix of media, know-how, African and worldwide media networks, manufacturing firms, artistic businesses, studying infrastructure, drawing in key {industry} gamers, and enabling regional firms to develop into profitable world-class companies, all inside a high-tech, sustainable infrastructure. It’ll additionally present a variety of key companies to fulfill their wants, which embrace connectivity, storage, uplink, amongst others.

Najib Gouiaa advised us extra concerning the goal behind the challenge: “We’re growing a world-class African hub for the media and inventive industries in Mauritius. We wish to entice main audio-visual companies, the worldwide media, and worldwide artistic entrepreneurs and join them to the rising market within the area.

Our purpose is to convey collectively African and worldwide firms from throughout the sector. And we wish to be recognised because the main world media metropolis in Africa, serving as a artistic hub, together with the likes of Dubai, Seoul, Salford and others.”

 

Mauritius is totally different from many African nations in that it has varied belongings which foster a conducive atmosphere for artistic and media {industry} gamers

The goal market of the challenge contains all the key segments of display manufacturing, gaming, publishing in addition to music and radio. Lately, with altering buyer profiles and desires, display manufacturing all over the world has elevated significantly. It has even turn out to be a big financial driver in lots of nations. COVID lockdowns have additionally boosted consumer engagement with video video games, e-sports and live-streaming. MediaCity Mauritius desires to handle the widespread development in these markets, notably in Africa.

In Africa, the artistic and media industries are booming, however the continent doesn’t but have a Media Metropolis able to internet hosting worldwide {industry} gamers in the identical means that Dubai represents a hub for the Center East, Seoul for Asia, and London and Brussels for Europe.

In line with Najib Gouiaa, Mauritius has the potential to be the epicentre of Africa’s media and inventive industries.

“I’m satisfied that Mauritius is the proper place to convey collectively worldwide firms trying to set up themselves in Africa. The island supplies the safe and linked atmosphere these firms want to essentially prosper on this market. The nation has super-fast broadband connectivity, and a well-educated and bilingual workforce (French and English). Above all, it’s a cultural melting pot of African, Asian, and European influences – such world openness is a important issue within the improvement of a information, info, and entertainment-based economic system.”

A campus on the coronary heart of the media metropolis, to supply a pipeline of business-ready expertise

Media cities want a variety of various artistic professionals, from audio-visual technicians, graphic designers, and digital know-how staff to manufacturing and management-related professionals. The power to supply certified native personnel is important. On this vein, a Media Campus will likely be arrange within the centre of MediaCity Mauritius. Its function will consist in internet hosting famend colleges and universities delivering specialised greater training within the artistic and media fields to develop a neighborhood pool of certified expertise.

 

Najib Gouiaa described the media campus as “The strategic centrepiece of our improvement plan as a result of the provision of native and certified human assets will likely be important. So, the educational provide is tied to the technological provide in our challenge. This can be a key concern for any {industry}, however particularly in the case of the manufacturing of digital content material. The businesses which will likely be housed in MediaCity Mauritius will rely closely on the provision of a talented workforce. So, we consider we will each assist the media {industry} meet its recruitment wants and assist proficient younger professionals within the pursuit of their skilled targets by inserting a media campus instantly alongside the {industry}.”

 

Our partnership with Broadcasting Heart Europe will convey industry-leading requirements and supply prime quality media companies

Broadcasting Heart Europe and Media Metropolis Mauritius not too long ago introduced an settlement for the event of a brand new broadcasting centre devoted to Africa (BCA). This new broadcasting centre will likely be constructed to fulfill the rising wants of the media {industry} in Africa. It’ll present its occupants with essentially the most up-to-date technological services when it comes to broadcast tools, {hardware}, and software program.

Najib Gouiaa added: “Our partnership with Broadcasting Heart Europe, which is a European chief in media companies, speaks volumes concerning the high quality and reliability of our technological provide. It’ll convey industry-leading requirements and supply prime quality media companies. Because of BCE’s experience, our broadcasting centre will present its occupants with essentially the most up-to-date technological services when it comes to broadcast tools, {hardware}, and software program.”

We’ve recognized a spot as a result of enormous demand in Africa and we wish to be the principle regional centre realising this artistic and business potential.

Many nations of the continent are tormented by poor web connectivity, an absence {of professional} expertise, cumbersome bureaucracies, and nationwide censorship. By growing a Media Metropolis, Mauritius will place itself because the prime location for worldwide firms who’re having problem penetrating African markets as a result of an absence of infrastructure.

Najib Gouiaa noticed: “We’ve recognized a spot as a result of enormous demand in Africa and we wish to be the principle regional centre realising this artistic and business potential. Our localised operations maximise the belongings Mauritius has to supply. This implies we’re capable of place ourselves as a bridge between Africa and the remainder of the world, whereas additionally stimulating expertise and the economic system at each home and regional ranges.”

 

The significance of the GMC for dialogue and sharing {industry} greatest apply

The promoters of the challenge have established a needs-focused technique based mostly on mutually-beneficial collaborations with main city, technological, and tutorial gamers. However how do they plan to draw the {industry}’s most prestigious anchor shoppers?

Najib Gouiaa answered: “By offering the {industry} with this worldwide platform, the GMC helps foster constructive synergies that we wish to replicate in Mauritius. The UAE instance exhibits how collaboration between and integration of media {industry} gamers end in constructive outcomes. The Dubai media metropolis has demonstrated this. In actual fact current media cities usually are not rivals however reasonably alternatives, as a result of the tenants of those media cities can even wish to settle in new markets. These firms are presently trying to set up themselves on the continent, and profit from the brand new alternatives it has to supply.”

MediaCity Mauritius will likely be an incentive on this respect, offering the gateway for the continent to generate its personal content material and inform its personal tales.

Tradition and creativity are vital financial drivers that create jobs, foster financial development, and have a constructive affect on city improvement. The longer term media metropolis will allow Mauritius to place itself in a market that has monumental financial potential by growing a platform able to internet hosting the African headquarters or subsidiaries of worldwide media teams and communications businesses, in addition to audio-visual, online game and eSport firms.

As Najib Gouiaa advised us: “The enterprise mannequin is tried and examined, not least within the UAE. By offering artistic {industry} gamers with a possibility to determine themselves in MediaCity Mauritius and increase their actions from there, the nation will purchase a brand new income and development, which is especially important given the present financial context. The nation will profit from job creation within the digital know-how sector, permitting younger Mauritians to develop and categorical their expertise in these industries. It’ll additionally profit from the inflow of information and experience associated to the manufacturing and distribution of latest audio-visual content material for the African and worldwide markets. MediaCity Mauritius will likely be an incentive on this respect, offering the gateway for Africa to generate its personal content material and inform its personal tales.

We’re enormously inspired by what the UAE has been capable of obtain within the world media house due to Dubai media metropolis and extremely priceless initiatives such because the GMC. It’s a mannequin we wish to replicate by making MediaCity Mauritius Africa’s main media hub for content material creation, digital manufacturing, world interplay, and native collaboration.”