The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a continental network of the most prominent African freedom of expression organizations, has reaffirmed its commitment to digital rights in Africa following its 4th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Grahamstown, South Africa on August 31, 2016.
A two-day capacity building workshop on Digital Rights Advocacy for its member organizations preceded the AGM. These activities were held on the sidelines of the 20th edition of the Highway Africa Conference organized by the School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University in South Africa.
AFEX presented two sessions at the Conference: “Confronting the Media Sustainability Challenge in Africa” and “Hands Off Our Internet: Internet Regulation and Journalism in Africa” as part of its participation in the Highway Africa Conference.
The AFEX workshop sought to build the capacity of organizations in Africa working to promote and protect freedom of expression and media rights to enable them to more effectively promote and defend freedom of expression and human rights on the continent, particularly in the online and digital environments.
They also endorsed efforts by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, to get State actors and the private sector to work closely together to ensure the existence of a free and open Internet.
Conference on the topic: “Hands Off Our Internet: Internet Regulation and
Journalism in Africa”
The AGM also elected a new Steering Committee to lead AFEX over the next two years with Mr. Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA) in Nigeria elected as Chairperson. The other elected members are: Mr. Gilbert Sendugwa of the African Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) in Uganda; Mr. Tuver Wundi of Journaliste en Danger (JED) in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Mr. Sulemana Braimah of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
To download and read the full communiqué, please click on afex_members_reaffirm_commitment_to_digital_rights_in_africa.
