THE Southern African Editors’ Forum (SAEF) has partnered with the Media Liaison Committee to host the second Africa Media Convention (AMC) in Lusaka in May 2023.
MLC chairperson Enock Ngoma said President Hakainde Hichilema, Southern African Development Community executive secretary Elias Magosi and UNESCO regional director Dr Lidia Arthur Brito were expected to grace the occasion.
Mr. Ngoma said the conference would attract about 500 delegates including, Ministers of Information from the SADC region, policymakers, academics, journalists and editors from across the Africa.
He said the objectives of the convention were derived from the Windhoek 30 Declaration on Information as a public good crafted in Namibian last year and adopted by all 193 UNESCO members at the 41st General Conference in Paris on November 18.
Participants will discuss, among many other issues, strategies to lobby and persuade. southern African parliamentarians to repeal archaic and repugnant laws that impinge on the practice of ethical and fearless journalism.
“This is a big event in the calendar of media activities on the African continent. AS some of you might recall, the first Africa Media Convention was held in May this year in Arusha, Tanzania where Zambia was selected to host next year’s event,” Mr Ngoma said.
He said the decision for Tanzania to host the inaugural Africa Media Convention and now Zambia was based on the positive pronouncements on media reforms and guaranteeing press freedom by two countries’ governments.
Mr. Ngoma said President Hichilema was on record as declaring that his government would work towards ensuring that media whether public or private should enjoy editorial independence and Press freedom.
He said various issues affecting both the profession and governments in terms of the practice of journalism would be discussed.
“We are calling on both local institutions in Zambia and international organizations including governments to support this important gathering that will take place over a period of five days,” Mr Ngoma said.