The Media and Development Forum held in Ouagadougou focused on four key themes:
the media and good governance; media freedom and differences between the legal
framework and the situation in the field; Europe's stereotype image ofAfrica and vice
versa and the role of local media. The conclusions of the Forum on each of these issues
were adopted by the European Commission and the Commission of the African Union
as the basis for creating a road map* for the future.


> The media and governance

The round-table on media and governance
was chaired by Derge Thophile Balima,
Director of CERAM (African Centre for
Media and Communication Expertise and
Research). He stressed that the African media
should act as a counterweight, overseeing
developments with a critical eye, but this
role was today increasingly challenged by
the arrival of other information media in
the hands of the corporate sector and large
multinationals.
He also pointed to the part played by the
Internet, as this slips from the control of
African legislators. Today, African states are
being urged to take legislative steps to guaran-
tee unimpeded access to free information, but,
in reality, governments in many countries are
keeping hold of information : as in the case


SPECIAL ISSUE 2 N.E. DECEMBER 2008


of Senegal, where state agencies investigating
malpractices are not required to disclose the
information they have collected. Other African
media outlets are also reported to do little
more than relay or repeat information from
foreign media outlets.
Another person taking part in the talks,
Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda's Information
Minister, summed up the conclusions of the
debate, by suggesting that the media should
make a contribution in four specific ways: cir-
culating information; acting as the proponent
of good governance; highlighting worrying
developments and ensuring that freedoms are
safeguarded.
Ultimately, the recommendations of the
'Media and Governance' panel may go toward
creating a suitable legal framework, adopting
a Euro-African media support strategy and
investing in media-related surveys.


> media freedom. The legal
 framework and the situation
 in the field

The debate on media freedom examined the
differences, if not the gap, between the legal
framework and day-to-day reality of press
freedom in Africa. Chairing the discussion
was Abdou Latif Coulibaly, who explained
how those in power continued to control the
television media, even in the wake of democ-
racy's transitional period. It was suggested that
any analysis of press freedom in Africa has to
take account of three distinct periods: the time
when democracy is in a state of transition; the
time when democracy holds sway and the time
when democracy is being further developed.
These periods of consolidation run parallel
with the increase in globalisation, calling for
measures that if not totally world-wide in