Man reading newspaper, by Polfoto. Lady in South Sudan, by Jesper Højberg, IMS.

A new report assessing the media landscape in Sudan published by IMS, outlines a strategy for future support to the media in Sudan. The report was produced in collaboration with Sudanese as well as international media organisations

Independent media in Sudan still face severe challenges to pursue their right to express themselves freely. Although the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, ending the 21 year long civil war between North and South Sudan, opened up space for a more democratic setup for media ownership and practice of journalism, issues such as censorship, harassment and persecution continue to challenge the media.

This is the overall conclusion of the report “Assessment and Outline of a Strategy for Media Support – Media in Sudan at a Crossroads” which was launched at a meeting between Sudanese media representatives in Nairobi in November 2007.

Follow-up to 2003 Sudan assessment

The report offers an assessment of the media situation in Sudan, as well as the outline of a strategy for media support in the coming years. It builds upon the “Media and Peace in Sudan – Options for Immediate Action” report, which provided an assessment as of August 2003 of the media and opportunities for media development in Sudan, published by International Media Support.

Updating the 2003 findings, this new report describes and contextualizes a series of challenges in bringing an environment conducive to freedom of expression through the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the changes to the political framework in Sudan.

The report, which is available in English and Arabic, was produced in cooperation between International Media Support (IMS), ARTICLE 19, the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), the Khartoum Centre for Human Rights and Environmental Development (KCHRED), Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the Olof Palme International Centre (OPIC).

Media a decisive player in Sudan's transition

A wide range of media practitioners and stakeholders contributed to the report, including representatives from the Sudanese media and Sudanese authorities, civil society organizations, religious and political groups, as well as representatives from the donor community.

Through this comprehensive process IMS has strived to ensure broad support in Sudan and internationally for the findings of the report so that it may form a common ground for future media support in Sudan.

- The media will be a decisive player in Sudan’s transition into a democracy. It is our hope that the assessment provides a much-needed overview of the media situation in the country and thereby strengthens support to the media sector with the aim of developing an environment conducive to media freedom, states Jesper Højberg, Executive Director of International Media Support.

The report is published by International Media Support and funded by the European Commission, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.