Rwandan Information Minister Protais Musoni announces changes for the media at Commonwealth Rwanda Media Forum

Rwandan Information Minister, Protais Musoni, has announced that his government will transform the country’s state-owned television network into a public broadcaster by 1 June this year, at a Commonwealth Rwanda Media Forum.

Mr Musoni made the announcement at the closing of the two-day forum on ‘Media and Economic Development in a Globalising World' on Wednesday, 30 March, in Kigali, Rwanda. He added that the Rwandan Government will also move quickly towards allowing Rwandan media to become self-regulating.

The forum, organised and co-sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of Rwanda, brought together media, academics and government officials from Commonwealth member states, to explore the future of the media and media freedom in East Africa.

It was the first gathering of its type in Rwanda and was officially opened by Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo.

Speaking to participants at the start of the forum, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba said: “A basic prerequisite is for the media to submit to a robust self-regulation in order to be a credible arbiter and veritable conscience of the society. This, of course, should be supported by positive regulation by governments through enabling legislation that allows freedom of expression in a responsive and responsible manner.

“A deep democracy functions in no small part through an informed and engaged citizenry. The media can help shape this, through open and responsible journalism.”

During the conference Mrs Masire-Mwamba called upon Rwandan President Paul Kagame to discuss the forum, thank the Rwandan Government for its strong support, and discuss the roles of media and government in a democratic society.

In a keynote address to forum delegates, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development for Sierra Leone, Dr Samura Kamara, shared his country's experience of enhancing the space for media in a developing post-conflict democracy.

The Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) also announced at the forum that it will form a branch in Rwanda to assist the country’s journalists with training and support.

The CJA’s vice-president Chris Cobb said the CJA has been working on plans to bring Rwandan journalists into its network for several months. The CJA organises training courses in developing countries of the Commonwealth, and has branches in many of the association’s member states.

“There is unanimous agreement that Rwandan journalists need training and support,” he said. “We hope to contribute at the outset by bringing them into our Commonwealth network.”