UN Special Envoy Joins NUSOJ-Led Discussion On Role Of Media In Somalia
UN Special Envoy Joins NUSOJ-Led Discussion On Role Of Media In Somalia
The UN Secretary-General Special Representative for Somalia Micheal Keating today took part in a civil society panel discussion in Mogadishu organized by the National Union of Somalia Journalists (NUSOJ) that brainstormed about the role of media in enhancing good governance, peace, and democracy in the country.
The purpose of the discussion was to promote free press as a cornerstone for
Democracy and establish a strong interaction between the media and the UN to discuss key issues on state building. The event was attended by both private, public Somalia media and civil society groups.
Mr. Keating was joined by panelist Professor Hassan Sheikh Ali, a university lecturer. After a brief introduction of the topic about the role of media in peace, development and democracy in Somalia by moderator Abdirahman Koronto, himself a former BBC Somalia journalist, both panelists were bombarded with questions by participants drawn largely from the civil society including one member of parliament Honourable Abdi Shire.
The participants who included journalists, civil society member and peace activists mostly wanted to know what the United Nations and the Somalia government is doing to help the media be free to better perform their monitoring work.
Keating said the Somali media plays an important role of educating, informing and helping shape the country’s future albeit in a challenging environment in which since 1992, dozens of journalists have been killed and others wounded while preforming their duties. He underpinned that for the media to better perform they must be protected and defended and in turn the media must also act responsibly and professionally. He reiterated the UN’s support to NUSOJ efforts at professionalizing the Somalia media.
“Democratic institutions can only flourish with a robust and free media that contributes to the overall peacebuilding effort, as well as contributing to good governance and reconciliation. And for the media to flourish, there must be respect for freedom of expression and press freedom,” Mr. Keating said.
The main point that emerged in the discussion was that there is more need to capacitate the Somalia media. Professor Hassan said it is vital to have a professional media and also for authorities to provide security to the media to
Abdirahman Dinari from the Somalia Think Tank Group thanked the UN for supporting the discussions and for providing the platform to the civil society to share their insights. He said the media plays a huge role and needs support.
“The Somali media has gone through a lot of challenges in Somalia. There is a time when the media were being killed, arrested or harassed but now the situation is much better because the country is experiencing change. The media plays a key role in peace building, development and democracy but it needs much more support to better professionalize it,” Dinari added.
NUSOJ Secretary General Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu thanked all the participants for taking part in the discussions and in particular the UN Secretary-General Special Representative for Somalia Micheal Keating’s active role in fighting for media rights and the continuous technical and financial support the UN extends to the Somalia media.
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