The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has officially launched the 2026 edition of the IGAD Media Awards, calling on journalists, filmmakers, photographers, broadcasters, digital creators, and storytellers across the region to submit impactful stories focusing on migration, labour mobility, displacement, and regional integration.
This year’s awards will be held under the theme, “Human Mobility for Regional Integration: Free Movement, Decent Work, Protection and Shared Prosperity.” According to IGAD, the initiative seeks to promote responsible, human-centred, and evidence-based storytelling on migration and mobility issues affecting the Horn of Africa and neighbouring regions.
Submissions opened on May 25, 2026 and will run until July 31, 2026, with eligible entries required to have been published, broadcast, or aired from January 2022 onwards.
In a statement released by IGAD, the regional bloc emphasized the growing importance of ethical reporting on migration and displacement, noting that millions of people across the region continue to move in search of safety, work, education, trade opportunities, and better livelihoods.
IGAD Executive Secretary Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu said the awards are aimed at recognising storytellers who highlight the human side of migration beyond statistics and headlines.
“Human mobility is not only a story of movement. It is a story of dignity, protection, resilience, and shared responsibility,” said Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu. “Through the IGAD Media Awards 2026, we are recognising the journalists and media voices who help the region see beyond numbers and tell the human stories that can inspire informed action and regional solutions.”
The awards will recognise excellence in several categories, including migration reporting, labour mobility and decent work, climate and conflict-induced displacement, migration photojournalism, digital storytelling, indigenous language reporting, and emerging journalism talent.
IGAD further stated that the awards are designed to encourage reporting that protects the dignity of migrants and displaced populations while countering misinformation, xenophobia, and sensationalism surrounding migration narratives.
According to the organisation, the 2026 edition will culminate in Kampala, Uganda, during a regional Knowledge ShareFair that will bring together journalists, policymakers, researchers, humanitarian actors, and development partners to discuss migration governance and ethical storytelling.
The IGAD Media Awards have become one of the region’s flagship platforms celebrating impactful journalism and storytelling that contribute to regional peace, cooperation, and integration across member states including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
