Information Professionals Seek Closer Integration

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 Oct. '98 About 50 Media Professionals from the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) group of states have called for the creation of network to facilitate exchange of information among them.

The media practitioners called for efforts at promoting the integration of ACP states into the new information age and the drafting of a charter to guide their work.

This was part of a resolution reached at the end of a week-long seminar held in Lisbon, Portugal, and Brussels, Belgium, last week by the ACP. It was aimed at shaping a partnership for the next millennium between ACP Media professionals and their counterparts in the European Union (EU).

Ghana was represented at the 10-day seminar by Mr Frank Agyekum of the Ghana Review International and GNA.

The seminar emphasised the importance of training, information technology and dissemination of information in ACP states, as well as the need for the ACP countries to take steps to strengthen the competence of their media professionals.

It said this is important because : "the information and communications revolution, which eliminates the bounds of time and space, has an impact on the economic, social, cultural and political activities of each state.

"It is imperative for ACP states, in this information and audio-visual universe, to do all they can to avoid marginalisation."

It called for the integration of all countries in the global information age.

"Countries in transition, as well as developing countries, should acknowledge the possibility of full participation in this process, which must allow for technological advancement and stimulate social and economic development.

"Substantial and sustained effort is needed to enable ACP countries to modernise telecommunications and infrastructure ... and to strengthen ACP professionals' ability to participate in the world information society," the resolution said.

The resolution proposed the promotion of an information and technology policy as a privileged instrument of intra-ACP regional integration.

This could be done by taking an inventory of the most efficient ACP regional training centres and assisting them with the appropriate means to enhance their regional nature as well as the institution of exchange programmes between them.

A web site should be created on the internet to enhance information exchange between ACP and EU.

The holding of an ACP information and communication professionals seminar each year at which an ACP Day, an ACP/EU Co-operation Day, and an ACP Press Freedom Day will be held. GRi