African Union and UNESCO Convened a Strategic Partners Meeting Ahead of 2024 Safety of Journalists Global Conference
UNESCO and the African Union recently hosted a high-level partners' breakfast meeting in Addis Ababa to exchange views on safety of journalists on the continent, ahead of the 2024 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) Global Conference, scheduled for November 6-7, 2024, at the African Union HQ.
Over 25 ambassadors and 75 representatives from the diplomatic missions in Ethiopia, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the African Union, United Nations, and other development partners, attended the event, reaffirming their commitment to partnerships in promoting the safety of journalists reporting on crises and emergencies.
Representing H.E. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for the Department of Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS), Issaka Garba Abdou underscored the essential role of journalists in crisis situations. "Journalists are the bedrock of transparency, accountability, and civic participation. They shed light on the darkest corners of society and amplify the voices of the vulnerable during crises and emergencies". Stated Garba.
Stressing on the importance of synergy, complementarity and strengthened partnerships, Rita Bissoonauth, UNESCO's Director of the Liaison Office to AU, highlighted some of the key strategic engagement between UNESCO has with AU, in promoting freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists in Africa. These include the recent support to AU in development of the continental artificial intelligence strategy, which has outlined how media and information literacy can address the AI enabled misinformation and disinformation.
As part of her mandate to promote the right to information for journalists and other media practitioners, H.E. Hon. Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), called for increased synergy and cooperation between the African Union, ACHPR special mechanism, CSOs and other stakeholders, She stressed that it was necessary to have consistent collaborative approach to the protection of journalists and other media practitioners in Africa.
"Behind every news there's always a hidden story and sometimes it's a journalist's life. UNESCO and the African Union will join efforts with all media stakeholders globally, to promote a broader discussion on the prevention, protection and prosecution of the perpetrators" said Guilherme Canela De Souza Godoi, UNESCO Chief of Section, Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists. He outlined the various programmes UNESCO Communication and Information Sector is implementing in Africa, to contribute to a better working environment for the media.
Among the bilateral and multilateral partners who took the floor, was the European Union represented by Ms. Rita Fortunato-Baptista. She reaffirmed the EU's strong commitment to promoting press freedom and journalist safety globally and highlighted the EU's partnership with the African Union Media Fellowship Programme and with UNESCO, on media and information literacy programmes.
Co-hosting of this year's IDEI by the AU andUNESCO in the context of the rise of conflicts and other crises, reaffirms and reinforces the common purpose between the UN system and the AU, in promoting an enabling environment for journalists, as key pillars for peace, democracy, accountability, transparency, and good governance in promoting Agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals.
