Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts CS Ababu Namwamba on Tuesday attended the inaugural Recording Academy/Africa steering committee meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
The meeting sets the stage for the establishment of a Grammy’s Recording Academy in Africa.
The meeting was chaired by Recording Academy President Panos A. Panay alongside CEO Harvey Mason Junior.
The CS who was accompanied by Youth Affairs and Creative Economy PS Ismail Maalim and Director of Innovation and Talent Development Moses Weunda described the occasion as a pivotal moment in African music history.
He said the academy’s presence in Africa was long overdue saying it will go a long way in enhancing skill development, talent cultivation, infrastructure investment, and international exposure.
He said the academy will provide a platform for Kenya to formulate and implement initiatives to propel its music onto the global stage.
He expressed pride in Kenya being one of the four champions of the Pan African Recording Academy, along with Rwanda, Nigeria, and South Africa.
“Kenya is confident that the partnership will empower emerging talent, leverage technology to improve production quality and distribution, preserve cultural heritage, build sustainable ecosystems, and advocate for conducive policies for artists,” he added.
He stressed that the African music industry is poised for greatness and that collective efforts will ensure artists receive the recognition and opportunities they deserve.
Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, and Nigeria, will form the backbone in the actualization of a recording academy in the continent.