ACRAN to consolidate cooperation with UNESCO

By Iddi Yire/William Fiabu, GNA

Accra, June 20, GNA - The African Communication Regulation Authorities Network (ACRAN) will consolidate its cooperation and working relations with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Nana Kwasi Gyan Apenteng, the President of ACRAN, said the cooperation would create more awareness of the important role of the independent media regulator in enhancing the citizens’ access and enjoyment of the freedom of expression and free, responsible and independent media.

Nana Gyan Apenteng, who is also the Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), made the disclosure on Wednesday at the opening of the ACRA Steering Committee Meeting in Accra.

The ACRAN was established at the latter part of the 20th century during the surge of democratisation across Africa.

With democratisation came the setting up of firm and equitable rules to guide the liberalisation of the media which should give opportunities to all citizens to become agents for democracy, economic development and social justice in Africa.

The Accra meeting, which is being hosted by the NMC, is to prepare the grounds for ACRAN’s next biennial conference slated for December, in Yaoundé, Cameroun.

It will also consider the issue of ACRAN’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Delegates attending the Accra meeting are from Ghana, Cameroun, the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Morocco, Niger, Benin, Togo and Tanzania.

Nana Gyan Apenteng said the Steering Committee Meeting was further inspired by the ideals of the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day International Conference, held in Accra, 2-3 May.   

He said the Accra Declaration, which was issued at the end of the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day Conference, reinforced ACRAN standpoints several respects.

He cited that the Conference called on states to “Create or reinforce an enabling legal and policy framework to ensue respect for freedom of expression and to foster a diverse, independent media sector, and to ensure that relevant officials are properly trained so as to ensure respect for that framework in practice”.

Another clause of the Declaration calls on the state parties to “Adopt strong and appropriate anti-discriminate rules, including in relation to gender, with a view, among other things, to ensuring that everyone in society can enjoy equally the right to freedom of expression.”

Nana Gyan Apenteng said these were strong endorsements of ACRAN positions and perspectives which they had canvassed over the years.

He commended Dr Amina Lemrini Elouahabi, President of the High Authority for Audio-visual Communication (HACA) of Morocco, for the leading role in the recent side event at the United Nations Conference on Women in March.

Dr Mustapha Abdul Hamid, Minister of Information, who opened the meeting hailed the sacrifices of African journalists in deepening democracy and promoting good governance on the continent.

He said the media in Africa was facing a serious challenge, especially in countries with autocratic system of governments; adding that journalists who operated under such regimes deserved commendation.

Mr Peter Essoka, Vice President of ACRAN and President of the National Communication Council of Cameroun, said adequate preparations were under way towards the hosting of the next biennial ACRAN conference in December in Yaoundé.

Mr Adam Boni Tessi, the General Secretary of ACRAN, gave an overview of the activities of the organisation.

GNA

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