MURAMVYA February 23rd (ABP) – The Minister of Communication, Information Technologies and Media, Mrs. Léocadie Ndacayisaba, opened on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, in the premises of the Bazelodge hotel in Muramvya (center- west), the work related to the two-day retreat in preparation for the Estates General of communication and media, a check by ABP revealed.
That third retreat, which is centered on the political axis, was attended by leaders of political parties, those of National Media Council (CNC), spokespersons for institutions and media officials as well as representatives of civil society and media professionals.
In his opening speech of the retreat, the minister in charge of communication first praised the will of the governor of Muramvya province who accepted the holding of the retreat in his province; which is, according to the minister, an eloquent sign that the administrative authorities support the activities of the ministry responsible for communication.
Mrs. Ndacayisaba recalled that a few days ago retreats preparing for the Estates General were initiated, among others, the 1st which was held in Rutana, the 2nd in Gitega with the ICT axis and the 3rd retreat in Muramvya. She said that the Estates General of Communication are held every 10 years and the recent meeting was held in 2011.
According to Minister Ndacayisaba, a decade after the 2011 meeting, it is time to look back to see if the recommendations have been respected and to be able to identify the obstacles to the implementation of those recommendations and plan for the future in order to have a Burundian society built on solid foundations with more responsible political communication, she underlined.
After this decade, the minister in charge of communication said that the image of the media has already undergone significant changes with the inception of community radios, online media and especially the use of social media which have brought novelties in the field of communication with of course advantages and disadvantages, she insisted.
Faced with this situation, Minister Ndacayisaba pointed out that her ministry has drawn up a national communication strategy inspired by Burundi National Development Plan 2018-2027.
That national strategy provides for major projects to be implemented, according to the Minister of Communication, Information Technology and the Media, who cites in particular the law on the press to adapt it to the realities of the moment, the introduction of the law on access to information, drafting of the law governing the advertising sector and updating of the national communication policy.
Minister Ndacayisaba indicated that the “responsible” and “hardworking” government of Burundi is deploying today to build a better Burundi where all Burundians enjoy their rights and freedoms. She said that all political communication and media content should therefore be in line with the philosophy of responsible and hardworking government.
Note that the participants in that third retreat discussed themes related to politics as an art of living together. The role of partners in all actors, such as the media, political parties and civil society, is very necessary in peaceful cohabitation.