AU Forum on Media and Development

(Afrique en ligne)--Underlining their common vision of the future and development towards a society of shared progress, the commissions of the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) are organising a three-day forum on ‘Media and Development’ for academics and professional journalists in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

By bringing professional journalists together with civil society representatives and political decision-makers, the two commissions aim to show that Africa and Europe are seeking common solutions to the problems that confront them this century, according to a joint statement of AU Commission Chairperson Jean Ping and the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Development, Louis Michel. ‘We are in no doubt that this forum will enable us to launch a movement on the subject of ‘Media and Development’ equal to the partnership we wish to build for Europe and Africa’, the two officials said, announcing the 11-13 September 2008 meeting.

The event is seen as the first step in a new process of analysis and proposals on this subject by which both the AU and the EC want to move reflection forwards, to share best practices and ideas as well as to identify concrete proposals that can be achieved in the short and medium term. Since the formation of the EU/AU strategic partnership at the Europe/Africa summit, held in December 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal, it was felt important to initiate a joint reflection between the AUC and the EC, said Ping and Michel.

Ping and Michel will address the forum on the main theme ‘Media and Development’ during the opening plenary session. Other panelists will make presentations on ‘Media and good governance: where is the link?’, ‘Media freedom: legal frameworks and realities on the ground’, and ‘ Changing stereotypes: the image of Africain Europe and of Europe in Africa’.

Scheduled speakers at the forum include Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, Ghana’s Information minister Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Commonwealth Secretariat Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, Burkina Faso’s Tourism, Culture and Information Minister Filippe Sawadogo, Côte d’Ivoire’s Communication Minister Ibrahim Sy Savane, PANA Director-General Babacar Fall and Rwanda’s Information Minister Louise Mushikiwabo.

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