Tuesday, May 7, 2013

FODEP Welcoming Remarks for The Regional Training Workshop on Media and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) jointly hosted by FODEP and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) By FODEP Executive Director-Mr McDonald Chipenzi 7th May 2013, Cresta Golf View, Lusaka



FODEP Welcoming Remarks for
The Regional Training Workshop on Media and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) jointly hosted by FODEP and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
By FODEP Executive Director-Mr McDonald Chipenzi
 7th May 2013, Cresta Golf View, Lusaka  
                                                                                                                                                               
MINISTER INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING, HON. KENNEDY SAKENI MP
MR. YARIK TURIANSKYI, SAIIA PROGRAMME MANAGER: GOVERNANCE AND APRM,
FODEP BOARD MEMBERS
THE FACILITATOR,
CIVIL SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES,
REPRESENTATIVES AND FACILITATORS FROM SAIIA,
JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA EXPERTS FROM VARIOUS MEDIA HOUSES,
INVITED DELEGATES FROM MALAWI & TANZANIA,
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
ALL PROTOCOLS OBSERVED
IT IS WITH GRATITUDE THAT I WELCOME YOU TO THIS MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY TRAINING REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON THE AFRICAN PEER REVIEW MECHANISM (APRM) HERE AT GOLFVIEW HOTEL TODAY. THIS TRAINING WORKSHOP HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE WITH TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (SAIIA) AS FODEP, WE ARE HUMBLED TO PARTNER WITH SAIIA AND BE ABLE TO HOST THIS WORKSHOP THAT HAS BROUGHT AS TOGETHER FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, MEDIA INSTITUTIONS IN ZAMBIA .
AT THIS POINT, ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE AND WELLCOME OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM TANZANIA AND MALAWI, AND OUR COLLEAGUES AND RESOURCE PERSONS FROM SAIIA. MR YARIK TURIANSKYI AND MR CHEVRON ERASMUS FROM SAIIA. MS HAPPINESS MNALEH, AND MR DEUS KABAMBA, FROM THE TANZANIA CITIZEN’S INFORMATION BUREAU (TCIB), AND MS BETTY LIWIMBI KATSONGA, OF THE CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REHABILITATION (CHRR). PLEASE WELCOME TO ZAMBIA, FEEL AT HOME AND MAY YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY.
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPNATS, ALLOW ME TO MENTION THAT SAIIA’S INVOLVEMENT AND WORK IN THE REGION IS WIDESPREAD. FOR ZAMBIA’S APRM, THIS STEMS AS FAR BACK AS 2006 WHEN FODEP TOGETHER WITH SAIIA HOSTED THE FIRST EVER INFORMATION WORKSHOP AT CHRISMA HOTEL IN LUSAKA. THEY ARE THERFEORE NOT NEW TO ZAMBIA’S APRM, BUT THEY HAVE PASSIONATELY FOLLOWED AND SUPPORTED THE PROCESS IN VARIOUS WAYS. THERE COMING HERE AGAIN TO SUPPORT THE POST REVIEW PROCESS DEMONSTRATE THEIR RESOLVE TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL ORGANISATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE APRM BEARS MEANING TO AN ORDINARY PERSON IN THE RURAL AND URBAN AREAS.
ON BEHALF OF FODEP, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND THE MEDIA IN ZAMBIA, I WISH TO THANK SAIIA FOR BEING AN ALL WEATHER FRIEND AND A STRATEGIC PARTNER IN OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUCCESS OF THE APRM IN THE REGION, ZAMBIA, AND THE CONTINENT AS A WHOLE.  THROUGH SAIIA AND EISA’S SUPPORT, FODEP HAS BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND THE 10TH CIVIL SOCIETY COLLOQUIUM AIMED AT REVIEWING A DECADE OF PEERING LEARNING AND PROJECTING A FUTURE OF GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA TO BE HELD MID THIS MONTH IN ADDIS ABBABA, ETHIOPIA.

THE APRM IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC, DEMOCRATIC AND POLITICAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PERIODIC REVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS IN THE FOUR THEMATIC AREAS. THE AREAS OF CONCERN IN THE APRM ARE SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT, SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE. NO STAKEHOLDER MUST BE LEFT BEHND AS WE ARE ALL AFFECTED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BY THE SUCSESS OR LACK OF IT, IN THESE SECTORS. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT IF A COUNTRY’S LAWS AND CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE WORK OF THE MEDIA ARE NOT ENABLING, ACCESS TO INFORM WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE, DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNNACE WILL SUFFER SEVERELY, AND SO IS ACCOUNATBILITY TO CITIZENS BY THOSE IN PUBLIC OFFICES. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE MEDIA SHOULD GIVE THE PEOPLE THE FULL TRUTH AND NOT HALF TRUTH OR DECIDE TO IGNORE OR BLACKOUT OTHER PLAYERS IN THE GOVERNANCE OF THE COUNTRY.

I MUST HASTEN TO SAY THAT OUR WORKING WITH SAIIA TODAY, THROUGH THIS WORKSHOP WITH FOCUS ON THE MEDIA COMES AT THE RIGHT TIME WHEN ZAMBIA UNDERWENT PEER REVIEW AT THE JUST ENDED AFRICA UNION (AU) SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATES IN ETHIOPIA DURING WHICH THE COUNTRY REPORT ON SELF ASSESSMENT (CSR) AND THE NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION (NAPOA) WERE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH. IT IS COMMENDABLE THE MEDIA PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE BY FOLLOWING THE EVENT IN ADDIS ABBABA, ETHIOPIA. THE MEDIA FURTHER COMMUNICATED GOVERNMENT’S SENTIMENTS AND ITS COMMITMENT TO USE THE APRM IN HELPING THE COUNTRY DEAL WITH CHALLENGES SUCH INEQUALITIES, RAISING BASIC STANDARDS OF LIVING AND FOSTERING EQUITABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.
YOU WILL AGREE THAT WE ARE ALL ANXIOUS TO SEE THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMEDNADIONS OF THE NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION (NAPOA) BEING TRANSLATED IN TANGIBLE BENEFITS ORDINARY ZAMBIANS CAN RELATE TO. THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN THE MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY RISE TO THE OCCASION AND TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN ANLYSING REPORTING AND COMMUNICATING ON THE APRM AS WELL AS OTHER GOVERNANCE PROCESES.
THE MEDIA’S ROLE IN THIS PROCESS IS CRITICAL HENCE THE NEED TO REJUVERNATE JOURNALISTS’ INTEREST IN THE PROCESS SO THAT THE MEDIA CAN NOW IDENTIFY ISSUES, EMPHASIZE AND DIGEST THE VALUES BEHIND THE APRM. THIS IN ITSELF HELPFUL TO ENSURE THAT PEER REVIEW IS IN FACT NOT MISTAKEN FOR A WINDOW DRESSING PUBLIC RELATIONS EXERCISE FOR COUNTRIES THAT JOIN IT. OTHER THAN THAT, IT IS ALSO VITAL TO RECOGBNIZE THAT THE APRM IS NOT A GOVERNMNET PROGRAMME BUT THAT GOVERNMNET IS ONLY ONE OF THE MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS OUTSIDE THE CIVIL SOCIETY, THE MEDIA, AND THE CITIZENS INCLUDED AND HELPS FACILITATE THE PROCESS.

THEREFORE, THE IMPORATNCE OF BRINGING THESE TWO SATEKEHOLDERS TOGETHER AND IN THIS MANNER TODAY, FOR THE PURPORSES OF ENANCING THEIR CAPACITIES AND BUILDING SYNERGIES WITH THE HELP OF SAIIA CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. WE RELIASE AS FODEP THAT AFTER REVIEW IN ETHIOPIA, MEDIA ENTHUSIASM HAS GONE LOW AND PUBLICITY ON THE PROCESS IS ALMOST NONE EXISTENCE. MANY PEOPLE AT THE MOMENT ARE LOST AS AT WHICH STAGE THE APRM IS IN THE COUNTRY. THE NGC AND MINISTRY OF JUSTICE THOUGH IT HAS BEEN DOING ALOT AROUND THE PROCESS, THE MEDIA IS NOT PICKING UP THE ISSUES. THE QUESTION IS WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE? IS BECAUSE THE MEDIA ONLY LOVES POLITICAL ISSUES RATHER DEVELOPMENTAL ONES? THEREFORE, WE HOPE THAT AFTER THIS TRAINING NEW IMPETUS AND NETWORKS LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY WILL BE GENERATED. THIS TRAINING WILL HELP OUR MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY TO GO A STEP FURTHER AND CONTINUE ENGAGING OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS GOVERNMENT, THE NATIONAL GOVERNING COUNCIL (NGC) AND OTHER APRM STRUCTURES AT VARIOUS LEVELS. IT MAY ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTH NEW REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS LIKE SAIIA, THE MALAWIAN HUMAN RIGHTS AND REHABILITATION CENTER (HRRC), AND THE TANZANIA CITIZENS IN FORMATION BUREAU (TCIB), WHICH ARE PRESENTED HERE WITH A PURPOSE OF ENHANCING CAPACITIES, AND SKILLS IN PROMOTING THE APRM. IT IS THEREFORE PRUDENT THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS ARE ATTUNED TO THE PROCESS ESPECIALLY THE MEDIA TO ENABLE THEM FOLLOW AND REPORT ON ALL APRM ACTIVITIES.  

HOWEVER, WE DO REALISE AS FODEP THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT MAY BE FACED IN OUR WORK AS MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE REGION. THE NEED FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AS WELL AS INFORMATION IS ONE SUCH CHALLENGE IN WORKING IN AND WITH THE APRM. THIS WORKSHOP THERFORE AM OPTIMISTIC IT WILL HELP REMIND US OF OUR INVALUABLE ROLES WE CAN PLAY TO HELP THE APRM MEET THE VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT AGENDA IT IS INTENDED TO ACHIEVE IN THE LONG RUN[1].

IT IS THROUGH CONTINUED REPORTING, COVERAGE AND EDUCATION OF CITIZERNS THAT INDEED THE PEER REVIEW CONCEPT MAY BE ABLE TO FULLY UNDERSTOOD, PROMOTED AND APPRECIATED BY ORDINARY PEOPLE AND BECOME RELEVANT TO THE MUCH NEEDED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMNET AS ENVISAGED BY THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE AFRICAN UNION(AU) AND NEW ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT(NEPAD). IF THE PROCESS IS SHUNED AND LEFT TO ONE SECTOR OF SOCIETY ALONE, IT MAY NOT REACH ALL THE CORNERS OF OUR COUNTRY. BUT THROUGH ALLIANCES, AND NETWORKS, THE RARE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ON THE APRM WILL BE SPREAD WIDELY, AND IT WILL BE EASY TO GAUGE WHETHER THE PROCESS IS SUCCEEDING OR FAILING ITS MEMBER STATES AND CITIZENS.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS ONLY IN ORDER THAT THE MEDIA AND ALL PERSONNEL VALUE THEIR ROLES AND DUTIES GIVEN TO THEM BY THE CONSTITUTION TO ACTUALIZE THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF INFORMATION, THE EXPRESSION AND ASSOCIATION, BY REGULARLY SHARING EVIDENCE BASED INFORMATION ON HOW THE APRM IS FARING. THIS WILL DEMAND FOR A LOT OF DEDICATION AND SELFLESSNESS ON OUR PART GATHERED HERE.

TO END MY REMARKS, LET ME BRING TO THE MINISTER’S ATTENTION FODEP IS CONCERNED WITH THE POOR OR NON EXISTENCE OF PUBLICTY ON THE PROCESS. WE ARE THEREFORE RECOMMENDING TO THE MINISTRY TO ENTRENCH APRM ISSUES IN ITS DAILY PROGRAMMING AND EVEN PUSH FOR THE SUMMARISATION AND TRANSLATION OF THE NAPOA SO THAT ORDINARY CITIZENS ALSO APPRECIATE THE PROCESS. FODEP FURTHER APPEALS TO THE MINISTER TO INTRODUCE SPECIAL TRAINING OF JOURNALISTS ON THE APRM TO INJECT NEW SKILLS AND REPORTING APPETITE ON THE APRM IN THE COUNTRY.

ON BEHALF OF FODEP, ALLOW ME TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUTE TO THE MINISTER FOR FINDING TIME TO GRACE THIS OCCASSION. FODEP VALUES YOUR PRESENCE HERE SO MUCH AND WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH GOVERNMENT ON MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST. TO YOU ALL  PARTICIPANTS THANK YOU FOR FINDING TIME TO COME DEMONTRATION OF DEDICATION AND ZEAL TO SEE THIS PROCESS WORK FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY AND ORDINARY CITIZENS. IAM HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL ALL INTERACT TO THE FULLEST AND MAKE THIS EVENT A TURNING POINT FOR THE MEDIA EXPERTS IN APPROACHING THE APRM ESPECIALLY IN THEIR EDITORIALS AND COLUMNS. FOR CIVIL SOCIETY, I DO AS WELL REALISE THAT WE WILL MAKE USE OF THIS WORKSHOP TO STRENGTHEN AND FOCUS OUR PAST AND FUTURE ENGAGMENTS IN THE APRM.

ONCE MORE, MAY I THANK SAIIA FOR THIS UNWAVERING SUPPORT WHICH WILL GO A LONG WAY IN ENCOURAGING BOTH THE MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY TO WORK AND PLAN EVEN MUCH BETTER IN MONITORING AND ANALYSING THE WAY COUNTRIES ARE FARINMG WITH APRM AND GOVERNANCE IN GENERAL POST REVIEW. FURTHER I APPEAL TO SAIIA TO CONISDER SUPPORTING PROVINCIAL TRAININGS OF MEDIA PERSONAL ON THE APRM TO CAPTURE OUR MEDIA COLLEAGUE RUNNING COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. WITH THESE FEW WORDS, I THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION. I NOW INVITE SAIIA REPRESENTATIVE TO GIVE HIS REMARKS.



[1] Zambia Daily Mail, APRM Report Questions Constitution instability, January 28, 2013.

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