A number of resolutions addressing press freedom and media development issues will be presented to the foreign ministers of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) member states later this month.

The resolutions came out of a conference held in Kigali 24-26 November that brought together more than 100 representatives of the ICGLR of 10 of the 11 member states (Sudan was the only country not represented). Participants included national representatives of the ICGLR, media representatives, as well as representatives from regulatory and self-regulatory bodies in the region.

Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, executive secretary of the ICGLR, said the role of the media in the region is crucial.

- Our region is still facing enormous security challenges in Eastern DRC, Darfur, Central African Republic and in northern Uganda. The media has to play an important role complementing regional and international efforts aimed at resolving conflicts in our region, she said.

Mogens Schmidt, Deputy Assistant Director General of Communication and Information at UNESCO , said the future is home grown.

- At the heart of what we do must be the promotion of fundamental mechanisms that draw on the strengths of our communities to find their own way to prosperity and peace. Independent and pluralistic media are the center of this formula," said Schmidt.

Highlights of the resolutions passed included:

• The condemnation of "continued unlawful arrests and harassment of media practitioners in the pursuit of their duty".
• "Encourage and promote broader engagement amongst media stakeholders especially training organizations, regulators, media house owners and other media operators with a view to raising professional standards.
• "Constitutional reforms be instituted to guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of media and the removal of claw back clauses that negate basic constitutional rights".
• That "access to information legislation, decriminalization of civil media offenses, appropriate support mechanisms and incentives for the industry, stakeholder consultation and co-existence of self-regulatory media councils and regulatory authorities be instituted and promoted".

The conference partners included IMS, UNESCO, Media Foundation of West Africa, ICGLR, IPP and the Rwandan High Press Council.