SPONSORS

CNN and MultiChoice would like to thank all of our sponsors for their continued generosity and support. The contribution that these generous supporters make ensures the continuation of journalist development throughout the Continent.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is Africa's leading beverages provider. Its soft drinks, juices, bottled waters, energy and sports drinks are marketed and distributed by bottling partners from over 160 plants serving 880 million consumers across the continent. The Coca-Cola Company, with its 40 bottling partners, is the continent's largest consumer products employer, with nearly 60,000 African employees. Over the last five years alone, more than $US600 million has been invested in Africa, much of this going into new plants, updated equipment and employee training. As such we have contributed very substantially to the NEPAD and Millennium Development goals of economic growth, job creation and poverty eradication.

About ECOBANK

Incorporated in 1985, ECOBANK Transnational Incorporated (ETI) is the parent company of the largest independent regional banking group in Africa. The ECOBANK Group currently operates in 20 African countries, namely: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda, Sao Tome, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. In addition, ETI is listed on the stock exchanges in Lagos, Accra and Abidjan (BRVM). The Group has over 7,500 employees in over 450 branches. ECOBANK is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organisations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals

ECOBANK is a sponsor of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 Awards (Environment category) officially launched last week by CNN and MultiChoice.

Over the past twelve years, the competition has grown in size and status to become Africa's most prestigious media event. In 2007, it attracted a record-number of entries from 40 African countries and a 'Highlights Program' of the ceremony, held in Cape Town, South Africa, was broadcast in 44 African countries.

Commenting on the Awards, ECOBANK Group's Chief Executive Officer, Arnold Ekpe, said "We are proud to sponsor this prestigious competition. It highlights our commitment, as a world class Pan African bank, to promote Excellence in Africa. This sponsorship is done in addition to our community program: through the Ecobank Foundation, we allocate up to 1% of our after-tax profits to support projects relating to women, children, health and culture in Africa.'

Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International, said: "We are delighted that for the 2008 CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards, we are returning to the awards birth place of Ghana. As the awards continue to grow in stature, strength and prestige, it is fitting that Ghana be chosen as the host country. It is wonderful that entries from across the continent continue to grow, making this a truly pan-African event." Eben Greyling, CEO of MultiChoice Africa, said: "Our continued partnership with CNN, to support these journalism awards actively demonstrates our support for media that carries Africa's voice on local and global issues. The awards have grown over the years in importance and meet a key need to encourage, showcase and celebrate the best that the continent has to offer in journalism. We look forward yet again to the challenge of finding and rewarding new stories and voices from the continent."

This year, the competition will recognize excellence in 16 categories: Environment, Tourism, Arts and Culture, Economics & Business, Free Press, Health & Medical, HIV/AIDS, Consumer, Photographic, Print General News, Radio General News, Sport, Television - General News - Feature/Current Affairs, Television - General News - News Bulletin, Francophone General News (Print and TV/Radio), Francophone Best Feature in a Consumer Magazine and Portuguese Language General News.

From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner - The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008.

Finalists in the 2008 competition will participate in a four day finalists' program that will include workshops, a media forum, networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony in July, 2008. Each category winner receives a substantial cash prize plus laptop, with modem and printer. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to CNN Center in Atlanta.

The competition is open to African professional journalists including freelancers across print, television, internet, photographic and radio. Full details on how to enter can be found by logging on www.ecobank.com or www.cnn.com/africanawards. The closing date for entries is 15th February, 2008. The judging will take place in London from 28th April to 2nd May. The Awards will be held at the State Banqueting Hall in Accra, Ghana on 19th July.

For more information, contact:

Group Communication
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated
2, Sylvanus Olympio Avenue
Lomé, Togo
Tel: 228 221 03 03
mailto:Contact@ecobank.com