News
First consultation on the creation of a press house in Mauritania
More than 70 representatives from the Mauritanian media sector, including public and private media, independent journalists, professional associations and syndicates, the Mauritanian audio-visual regulatory body, the Mauritanian Press Agency and the government, gathered yesterday in the capital Nouakchott to agree on the common vision and mission for the establishment of a press house in Mauritania.
The project of the Mauritanian Press House, supported by the UNESCO Office in Rabat and the representation of UNDP in Mauritania, aims to enhance dialogue and exchanges among media practitioners in Mauritania with a view to strengthening their professional capacities and supporting the development of free, independent and pluralist media in the country.
The project started in 2004 with a feasibility study undertaken by UNESCO and UNDP on the request of the Mauritanian Ministry of Communication, and the representatives of the Mauritanian journalists and media houses. The feasibility study concluded that the Mauritanian media landscape at that time did not offer a suitable ground for a press house, considering the number of legislative and regulatory challenges to address in order to support the liberalization of the Mauritanian media sector.
The first national consultation launched yesterday follows a series of reforms undertaken by the Government since 2004 to support the development of the free press, conducive to the establishment of the press house in Mauritania.
The programme of the consultation is available here in French.
