The image of the late Richard Sultan displayed on the screen during the IGAD Awards in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday, October 2024. — Courtesy

The late journalist Richard Sultan was posthumously honoured alongside journalist Mamer Abraham at the IGAD Media Awards 2024, held in Nairobi, Kenya, just ten days after his passing.

Family sources confirm that the late Richard Sultan passed away ten days ago after a brief illness in South Sudan.

Sultan was honoured in the Digital Media category for his contributions to Open Democracy.

His award was accepted on his behalf by Mamer Abraham, a reporter with Voice of America Africa who also won an award at the IGAD Radio Awards 2024 alongside Sultan.

The second award was given to the late South Sudanese journalist Richard Sultan, who recently passed away after a short illness.

According to a post from Hot in Juba, Sultan served as a senior editor for the platform’s online content.

The 2024 edition was held under the theme: “Narratives of Hope: Inspiring a Peaceful, Secure, and Inclusive Future.”

Other winners included journalists from Kenya, Uganda, and other IGAD member countries.

The awardees will be invited to a one-day training session on IGAD’s mandate, programmes, challenges, and accomplishments.

In addition, the winners will receive accreditation to participate in select major IGAD events, granting them access to IGAD assemblies, exclusive content, and expert insights.

The IGAD Media Awards are open to all practising journalists and freelancers working in mainstream or multimedia outlets across the eight IGAD member countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.