From Jamaica Observer

BRUSSELS (CMC) – The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States Saturday sought to underline the importance of free, independent pluralistic media as a cornerstone of an effective democracy and resilient nation-building.

ACP Secretary General Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni in a message to mark World Press Freedom Day, said “the press and media have an enormous capacity to enhance national development by fostering transparency in public affairs, holding governments accountable to the people, keeping the public informed and educated on key issues, and promoting development and national progress.

“ACP countries need to support and invest in their journalists so that they are able to produce quality, thorough journalism and serve efficiently in their role as the fourth estate,” he added.

Executive Director of the Brussels-EU Press Club Laurent Brihay said that a healthy, free and open media environment enhances business climate and correlates to increased investment attractiveness.

“The ills of corruption can only be undone in an environment where freedom of information and freedom of speech is upheld and protected, and where journalists are free to operate with independence and neutrality, without fear,” he said.

The ACP Secretariat said that in order to maximise the capacity of the press to contribute to development and to enhance cooperation between media and different stakeholders it has teamed up with the European Press Clubs Federation to establish the ACP Press Clubs Federation.

“Currently in development, the ACP Press Clubs Federation project seeks to build a strong partnership network amongst press clubs in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and regions, in connection with those in Europe and the rest of the world. Press clubs act as communication hubs focused on networking and collaboration amongst members from all sectors, including press and media, business, government, tourism, and civil society.”

It said that in September last year, the European Press Clubs Federation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the ACP Secretariat to set up a network model that would empower and internationalise local and regional operators “and act as a platform for innovative communications strategies that would benefit ACP countries and the intra-ACP cooperation of the Group as a whole”.

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