The initiative to develop an international Partnership for Regional Media and Peace programme in West Africa, begun in Accra in July, is making good progress. The partnership involves the Media Foundation for West Africa, Accra; the International Media Support, Copenhagen; Panos Institute West Africa, Dakar; UNESCO; UN-OCHA; the Media Action International, Geneva; the International Federation of Journalists, Brussels; and ARTICLE 19, London/Johannesburg.

The strategy document for the partnership was completed at a meeting in Copenhagen, October 7/8.

A mission of this partnership will visit Liberia in November to conduct an assessment of the state of the media and their needs to guide a programme of work to support media development in post-conflict Liberia.

With the deterioration in the situation in Cote d'Ivoire, the Media Foundation and some of its partners plan a programme for journalists from the north and south in Ghana - a "neutral" ground - to encourage media purposeful media work for peace.

Guinea, which has been on the brink of conflict break-out, plans elections in December. It is a critical one for peace and democracy in the country.

The Media Foundation is organising a programme for the media and the elections, also in November.

Accra October, 2003

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