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.
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