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A more recent initiative is a programme aimed at improving the quality of economic and financial journalism in sub-Saharan Africa. The idea behind this programme is that the quality of public debate about economic issues in African countries would be enhanced if there was a better understanding and a closer relationship between economists (both academic economists and economists working in government departments and the Central Bank) and the journalists who specialise in these subjects.
In developing this programme the Wincott Foundation has been working closely with the Centre for the study of African economies at Oxford University (led by Professor Paul Collier), the Gates Foundation (which is active in Africa), and the Thomson Foundation (which has considerable experience in the training of journalists around the world).
A successful pilot session was held in Nairobi in September, 2009. This involved some twenty Kenyan journalists and economists, who attended a number of training sessions dealing both with good journalistic practice and with policy issues relevant to the Kenyan economy. The plan is to extend the programme to other countries during 2010 and 2011
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