Media and Development: a new field of action for Europe-Africa partnership?
The following text is a communication by the European Commission (Directorate-General for Development)
From 11 to 13 September, the European Commission and the African Union Commission held a ‘Media and Development Forum’ in partnership with the OIF (International Organisation of the French-speaking World), the Commonwealth and the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries).
A key issue
Free information conveyed by independent media is an essential condition for democracy and development. The sustainable economic and social development of states not only requires a solid democracy but also an enlightened and free debate on the future in which all opinions can be expressed. The independence of the media is therefore one of the important elements in a global development policy for our societies.
In addition to the question of the role of the media in governance, the relationship between the media and development is especially important in countries where the vectors of education, training in citizenship or quite simply entertainment, are rare and often limited to urban elites. The role of the media as cultural, educational, social, political and economic relays must be strengthened, in particular through support for their creation and strengthened viability.
The first step in a new Europe-Africa dynamic on the subject
The ‘Media and Development Forum’, held in Ouagadougou from 11 to 13 September 2008, was the first step in a new dynamic of analysis and proposals on the subject. Launched jointly by the European Commission and African Union Commission, the forum was organised in partnership with the International Organisation of the French-speaking World , the Commonwealth and the CPLP. It comes in the wake of the Europe-Africa summit of December 2007 that launched a partnership for joint action.
The forum brought together professional journalists, representatives of civil society and policy-makers to discuss four main subjects:
- Media and good governance: what is the link? (Discussion of governance in relation to the media and freedom of expression)
- Press freedom: the legal framework and the situation in the field (including the advisability of drawing up a pan-African charter on protection of the media)
- Combating stereotypes: the image of Africa in Europe and of Europe in Africa (How to change distorted media perceptions that are harmful to Africa, Europe and their relations)
- The role of local media: local action to succeed at global level? (In connection with one of the themes of the European Development Days (EDD) 2008, the local dimension of development).
The speakers and participants were welcomed by European Commissioner Louis Michel, African Union Commission Chairperson, Jean Ping, and President of Burkino Faso, Blaise Compaoré. Participants included leading figures from the African and European media (Euronews, Deutsche Welle, BBC, Les Afriques, Spectrum TV, etc.), political leaders (commissioners, ministers from Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, etc.) and representatives of civil society (RSF, etc.).
In Europe, the forum will be followed up by a series of debates as part of the European EDD. The reflection and initiatives launched in Ouagadougou will thus continue, with the promise of a strengthened role for joint Europe-Africa actions in the field of ‘Media and Development’.
How to consolidate the media: training, independence, financing? What actions exist? What actions are possible?
There are of course existing projects and initiatives in this field. In Sri Lanka, the European Commission is financing a project designed to promote the human rights of the most vulnerable by strengthening the capacities of professional and independent media. This has resulted in the publication of a manual and the holding of training seminars on these issues.
Other actions also exist in the field of making the media more viable financially. In the Central African Republic, for example, the Commission is helping to fund an original system enabling ‘Radio Maigaro’ to increase its broadcasting from just two hours a day to between six and eight hours. The system in question is a device that enables electricity to be generated through animal traction – specifically two bulls turning around an axis and an electric alternator connected to two lorry batteries.
Other players are also active in these fields. As an international organisation whose task is to promote media development, UNESCO has very effective programmes. EU Member States have also launched a number of initiatives, both at local and central government level. The European Commission could have a role to play in assisting coordination with and between these Member States and in the exchange of good practices between the players in these fields.
More generally, given its importance for development, the European Union and African Union could be called upon to play a more developed joint role in the ‘Media and Development’ Field. In any event, this is the purpose of the Ouagadougou Forum that is seeking to provide answers to the concrete question of what to do and how.
*An in-depth report on the event will appear in issue 8 of The Courier.