The Conference brings together about 500 participants made up of key personalities, organisations (local, regional and international), media practitioners, academia, activists and civil society organisations to reflect on the challenges and changing trends in the areas of free expression, media development and access to information, and to develop strategies in tackling these challenges. It also features representatives from governments, ECOWAS, the diplomatic community and development partners as well as all the national partners of the MFWA from all 16 countries across West Africa.