The Board of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), meeting in Torino, Italy, on the 8th June 2014 during the 66th World Newspaper Congress, 21st World Editors Forum and 24th World Advertising Forum, calls on African heads of state and US President Barak Obama, to put freedom of expression on the agenda at the inaugural U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit due to be held in Washington, D.C. on August 5th and 6th, 2014.

Since 2010, there has been significant institutional progress for press freedom in Africa. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a resolution in November of that year urging governments to repeal criminal defamation. Two resolutions followed: the Pan-African Parliament’s (PAP) passing of the ‘Press Freedom for Development and Governance: Need to Reform’ resolution in 2012, and the ‘Midrand Declaration’ in 2013. Both resolutions condemn violations of media freedom and put safeguards into motion for its protection, including an annual ‘media freedom index’ in Africa and a decision to collectively recognise WAN-IFRA’s Declaration of Table Mountain Campaign to repeal criminal defamation.

Résolution concernant la campagne sur « la liberté de la presse pour le développement et la gouvernance : réforme nécessaire »

A panel discussion hosted by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Pansy Tlakula, revealed how criminal defamation and insult laws are hindering Africa’s press and in turn, the economic and social progress of its people.