I feel extremely privileged, as an African journalist, to cover this summit - and an international summit, no less. For the last seven years of my journalism career I have been covering local and national stories.
I longed to see the likes of the BBC journalists at work, and here I was working shoulder-to-shoulder with them, right from London to Scotland. I attended four press conferences and seeing Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac, Bob Geldof and Bono up close. My biggest disappointment however was the fact that at the Chirac press conference, Africans were denied an opportunity to ask questions. I had a burning question for Chirac: I simply wanted to know France's concrete policy and priorities for Africa. I raised my hand umpteen times, but it appears I was an invisible character in the French world. I didn't bother to raise my hand at the conferences that followed. I feel cheated particularly since this was supposed to be an African agenda, but it was hijacked by the foreign press. the organisers could have done better by allowing African media more opportunity to ask questions.
Nevertheless I was impressed by the level of organisation and support that was given to the media. Here the media is respected. We had the opportunity of using free phones and free internet - no wonder I was able to deliver my best journalism. I sent live reports to my station in Kampala and kept updating them on each report. I discovered I have the potential if only such facilities could be available at home.
To Panos London, I say this: you have raised my esteem. I came with an open mind to explore my potential and to use it to the maximum, and I must confess that I have gained much from this experience. With a team of Panos editors - Francesca Silvani, Anna Egan, and Sameer Padania - I was encouraged to write stories for the website, and the blog. And my God, the blog was the most difficult task, because that word itself was new to me, and to make matters worse, the day on which I was to be enlightened about blogs turned out to be the day that I went out to shadow Paul Mason...
So, it is finally over. I came as an amateur in covering international issues, but I have left with a credible mark on my mind from my Panos colleagues that anything is possible - as long as you have the right incentives and the motivation.
As for Africa, let's be encouraged by Tony Blair's words that Africa's problems must be solved by Africans. Much as the G8 is concerned by our plight, let's not drown in self-pity. It's Africa's year, so let's struggle for the best for our continent.
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