This, according to Mr Chinje remained a key factor contributing to high irregular migration, and the attendant devastating effects on the youth of Africa and the continent by extension.

Based in Kenya, AMI seeks to strengthen the continent's private and independent media sector from an owner and operator perspective to promote democratic governance, social development and economic growth.

It does so through a set of strategic activities aimed at transforming the media and communications landscape on the continent.

Addressing the opening session of a five-day media training workshop, underway in Rabat, Morocco, Mr Chinje, Cameroonian-US based Journalist noted that despite its developmental woes and lapses, the African media also failed the continent and her people as well.

He was worried that instead of concentrating on developmental issues that would facilitate and transform the economic fortunes of the continent, African Journalists wasted their time, pens and airwaves to focus on "irrelevant issues" that were detrimental to the development of the continent.

"Only 10 percent of Africa media content deals with developmental issues", he said.

The Robert Bosch Stiftung September School on Media and Migration, which began from September 9 to 14, is aimed at building bridges between Journalists in Europe and Africa on migration.

Dubbed: "Journalism in a global context-challenge migration", the Institute in close partnership with the Africa Institute of Media, Migration and Development (AIMMAD), the AMI and Goethe Institute with funding from the Robert Bosch Stiftung is organising the September School.

About 27 senior Journalists and broadcasters from Africa and Europe attending the school are expected to meet and interact with experts, migrants and Non-governmental organisations and other relevant institutions in Morocco.

Mr Chinje noted that the subject of migration was important, and the African media must highlight more on the topic for the continent to understand issues of migration.

"African media must rethink migration in a broader context so that African governments will understand the subject better", he said.   

Madam Veye Tatah of the AIMMAD, Germany, underscored the importance for the African media highlight and to tell the development stories on the continent in different narratives.

"We have to focus on and tell the good story of Africa. This doesn't mean we should not highlight on our negatives, but we must tell all the story", she said.

"I have lived in the Germany for more than 20 years, and when I first visited Germany, what the Germans knew about Africa was catastrophe, poverty, diseases and hunger", Madam Tatah stated.

Madam Rosa Maria Gonzalez, IPDC Deputy Secretary, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO, expressed concern over high level of disinformation and rise in hate speeches, which gained prominence in the African media.

She advised issues of climate change, sustainable development and migration did not only threaten the African continent, but had serious global threats and required urgent attention from the media.

Professor Dr Susanne Fengler of the Erich-Brost-Institut of International Journalism, TU Dortmund University, said it was necessary for Africa, and the global media in general to build networks, and help each other cover issues of migration in a proactive way.

Migration, she explained remained key component of human life, and hoped expectations of participants would be met.