Launch of the “MEDIA & Development” Forum – Burkina Faso, September 2008
As part of the joint EU-AU strategic partnership adopted at the Europe-Africa summit in Lisbon, December 2007, the European Commission and the African Union Commission will launch a joint forum on “MEDIA & Development”.
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping and European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, explained:
– The media are an essential element in making the world intelligible, bringing information and knowledge, developing a critical sense and, above all, in bringing about the democracy necessary for more rapid and sustainable development of our societies.
The “MEDIA & Development” Forum, to be held in Ouagadougou from 11 to 13 September 2008, will be the first step of a new process of analysis and proposals.
The forum is co-organised by the European Commission and the African Union Commission, in partnership with the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (International Organisation of the French-speaking World), the Commonwealth and the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries).
The forum will bring together journalists, representatives of civil society and policy-makers, with the aim of:
– moving forward reflection on “Media & Development”;
– exchanging best practice and ideas;
– developing practical proposals that can be implemented in the short and medium term.
The forum will focus on four key themes:
1) Media and good governance: where is the link? (governance in relation to the media and freedom of expression)
2) Press freedom: legal framework and the situation in the field (the advisability of drawing up a pan-African charter on protection of the media)
3) 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)
4) The role of local media: local action to succeed at a global level? (in connection with one of the themes of the European Development Days 2008, the local dimension of development).
Speakers and participants will be welcomed by European Commissioner Louis Michel, African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping and the President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré.
Key players in 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 civil society representatives (RSF, etc.) have already confirmed their participation.
For more information: http://media-dev.eu
Contact: [email protected]
Franck Gouéry, Press Officer – Media and Development Forum: +32(0)2 298 46 95
John Clancy, Spokesman: +32 (0)2 295 37 73
