Rédaction Africa Links 24 with pierre Dieme
Published on 2024-04-16 09:47:23
Open letter to His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye D. FAYE
President of the Republic of Senegal
The necessity of restoring the nobility of journalism
I take this opportunity to write this letter to you as you did in the offices and workplaces of all civil servants the day after Korité to encourage them to work hard, to “Jub, Jubal, jubanti.” You have outlined values and a vision. Even though this letter is directly addressed to civil servants and agents of the administration, it must be acknowledged that the content is intended for all citizens in a global manner. Indeed, each one of us must make it a priority to place Senegal on the path to emergence and development. This is within reach because we have all the necessary resources to aspire to a better future like other countries. We have arable lands, water, sea, mineral resources, a strong intellectual capacity, and solid institutions. So far, you and your Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, have been taking reassuring actions in this direction. If this trend is maintained with constant government support in the next five years, all signals will be green for the true emergence to begin. With Senegalese ingenuity, nothing is impossible. Transparency, good organization, and deep reforms are needed to achieve this. All appointments should be linked to a performance contract to be evaluated periodically. This contract should be determined by the roadmap that every applicant or contender must submit along with their resume, in addition to the government’s specific requirements for each entity.
Your Excellency, the President of the Republic,
I now come to a major concern. I don’t need to remind you of the importance of the media in society. Despite the divergences in views on this sector, strong guidelines are needed to support your Project and lead it to success. Not everything is rotten; there is hope, as the media actors themselves initiated national symposiums, the process of which started in October 2022. These general states have allowed for structural and significant solutions to be proposed to address the various problems in the media environment. The determination of these actors has always guided the government in the consolidating actions taken so far. The Press Code, CORED, the new national collective agreement for the press sector, the Press Support and Development Fund (FADP), and the National Press Card Commission are encouraging evidence of progress. These achievements have been made within the framework of the synergy of the Press Associations Coordination (CAP), which brings together professional media organizations since the beginning of 2016.
In your firm resolve to promote transparency, accountability, and fight corruption in all its forms and at all levels, you seem to rely heavily on whistleblowers. However, I have not clearly seen in your messages since your election, the role of the media in this noble and commendable effort. Throughout history, the media, like the security forces, and the judiciary, have always been at the forefront of this fight. From 2015 to 2024, there was a veil of silence over the media. Some have yielded, while others stood their ground and worked individually or with African or international consortiums to investigate, report, and expose scandals. This was the case with the $45 billion shipment of arms from the USA, the Petrol TIM, Tulow oil, Oryx, and Environmental Ministry arms scandals, among others.
This goes to show that with guarantees and transparent cooperation, the media can perform impeccably and professionally in the fight for accountability.
Journalism remains a regulated profession with ancient texts and techniques that have evolved over time, leading to the emergence of new media. Through investigative journalism, the press has the legal means to shed light on cases of embezzlement, corruption, and malpractice. Perfect coordination must be found among administration members, whistleblowers, and civil society organizations to uncover and shed light on all acts of mismanagement committed in this country.
Your Excellency, the President of the Republic,
The malaise of the press is not unique to this sector. Senegal is a deeply affected nation. Noble and important members and bodies are corrupt. The prophylaxis must be meticulous and comprehensive, carried out by the respective actors in collaboration with all necessary and determined profiles. We in the press have proposed treatments that form a good basis to enrich and apply for the benefit of all components of Senegalese society.
Wishing you success in achieving your goals, I respectfully ask Your Excellency, the President of the Republic, to accept the expression of my highest respect.
Ibrahima Lissa FAYE
Journalist – blogger
Publishing Director of PressAfrik
[email protected]
Image may contain: 1 person, stage, and text that reads ‘Dream’.
Read the original article(French) on Dakar Matin
