[governance] Platform for Access to Information In Africa

[Anriette Esterhuysen]

Hi all

Last week Monday, 19 September, several hundred Africans made up of
journalists, bloggers, rights activists and a few governments adopted a
platform on access to information. It was good to have Frank la Rue
there too.

We are very pleased about this... it is an important step forward for us
in terms of access to information.

It also coincided for those of us from South Africa, with the ruling
party withdrawing a new 'Secrecy' bill which would have severely
undermined freedom of information and transparency.

The statement of the platform is attached, and you can read more about
it on the website.

It mentions the IGF:

."..Aware that the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)
brought to the forefront the importance of access to
information in the modern world through the Geneva Declaration of
Principles and Tunis Commitment and that the
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) plays a crucial role in bringing
together all of the stakeholders to facilitate an
international internet governance debate that includes issues of access
and openness;"

The principles on access to information are very solid.. not internet
specific, but clearly applies to the online environment.

www.pacaia.org

Anriette Esterhuysen

APC
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