[WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS statement adopted at Highway Africa Conference, South Africa

[Tracey Naughton]

CONFERENCE STATEMENT

TO PrepCom 3  Tunis Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society

  Reinforcing Journalism in the Information Society
September 14th, 2005 Grahamstown, South Africa



Highway Africa is an annual conference hosted in South Africa,  
bringing together journalists and new media practitioners from across  
the African continent. The conference aims to put African media into  
the centre of debates about ICTs and the Global Information Society.   
The 2005 conference, in Grahamstown 12-14 September 2005 focused on  
reinforcing journalism in the Information Society and was attended by  
three hundred African journalists.

Journalists working in Africa share the same commitment to  
professional standards and characteristics such as fairness and  
accuracy with critical thinking and working in the public interest,  
as journalists globally.

Journalism in Africa, as everywhere, is informed by context and  
thematic practice that reflects local issues. A desire for  
accelerated development informed by contextual values and knowledge  
are two factors that orientate journalism in Africa to being a medium  
to empower people to make informed decisions.

Believing that democracy is governance by discussion, African  
journalists embrace ICTs as an extension of media opportunities in  
the support of good governance and democracy.

WSIS – from statements to action


The conference regrets the limited reference to the media in the WSIS  
Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. It calls upon all  
stakeholders participating in the WSIS process, primarily the States,  
to move from the promise of the Geneva Declaration of Principles to  
its universal implementation, in particular to put into practice  
their ‘commitment to the principles of freedom of the press and  
freedom of information, as well as those of the independence,  
pluralism and diversity of media, which are essential to the  
Information Society’ (para 55).

African journalists also expect from all WSIS stakeholders, active  
participation in the implementation of the Geneva Plan of Action,  
including paragraph 24 related to Media. This involves acting to  
create conditions conducive to increasing the availability and  
effective mobilisation of the necessary resources to finance the  
implementation of this specific part of the Plan of Action. This is  
of crucial need for the rapid and full integration of African media  
into the Information Society and the international media landscape.

WSIS – Internet Governance

The Conference strongly regrets that there was no media  
representative on the Working Group on Internet Governance and calls  
upon WSIS to ensure that the media is included in all further  
discussions on Internet Governance.

Re-affirming Existing Statements


The Highway Africa Conference 2005 notes the widespread consensus and  
implementation of the following statements and highlights particular  
sentiments expressed in each of them.


The Windhoek Declaration on the Promotion of Free and Pluralistic  
African Press, 1991 and endorsed by all UNESCO member states in 1995  
which promotes the role of the free, independent and pluralistic  
media in Africa.


The African Charter on Broadcasting adopted Windhoek 2001 and in the  
Bamako Declaration of WSIS May 28 2002, which calls for access to  
telephones, email, Internet and other telecommunications systems,  
including through the promotion of community-controlled information  
and communications technology centres.
Declaration of Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa adopted  
by the African Unions Commission on Human and People’s Rights October  
23 2002 Banjul, The Gambia which upholds the key role of the media  
and other means of communication in ensuring full respect for freedom  
of expression, in promoting the free flow of information and ideas,  
in assisting people to make informed decisions and in facilitating  
and strengthening democracy;

The Commission for Africa’s final report issued on 11 March 2005 in  
London, United Kingdom, which calls for the setting up of an African  
media development facility as a way of unlocking resources and  
expertise for a pluralistic and free media system, including new  
information and communication technologies (ICTs).


The Marrakech Declaration Adopted in Marrakech on November 24, 2004  
which declares that,
Everyone, everywhere, should have the opportunity to participate in  
the Information Society and to take advantage of its benefits.  
Information and communication technologies as well as media, must be  
a fulcrum for equitable access to sustainable development. And,

The Internet and other new media forms should be afforded the same  
freedom of expression protections as traditional media.

The Conference further notes:

Rhodes University Chair of Media and Democracy


At Highway Africa 2005 a new Rhodes University Chair of Media and  
Democracy was announced - the
first such academic position in Africa. This initiative recognises  
the importance of media in the developing
information society.

<ends>









Tracey Naughton
NYAKA
Communication for Development Consultant
201 Somerset Hall
239 Oxford Road
Illovo     2196
Johannesburg
South Africa

landline & fax:    +27 (0) 11 880 5030
cell / mobile:    +27 (0) 82 821 1771
email:        tracey at traceynaughton.com
skype:        tracey_naughton



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