20/11/2009 The Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon Yang last Tuesday the 17th of November 2009, chaired the opening session of the 41st edition of the International Union of Francophone Press (UPF). The ceremony took place at the Yaounde Conference Center.
The conference, organised for the first time in Cameroon, holds under the theme “Professional Code of Ethics on trial by the New Information and Communication Technology: Press Freedom versus Responsibility of the Journalist,”
Discussions during the sitting shall focus on to Electronic Journalism; Regulation and Media Ethics; Training of Journalists and the Management of Electronic Media.
In his address to press men from some 56 countries world wide, the Prime Minister indicated that Cameroon, under the leadership of President Paul Biya, has been making great strides to render individual liberties a reality.
He mentioned the Code of Ethics signed in 1992 in Cameroon to caution that there is no press freedom without responsibility on the part of the journalist.
To him, the duty of the press includes education and the promotion of values such as social peace and national unity.
Before the keynote address, the Government Delegate of the Yaounde city council, Gilbert Ntsimi Evouna welcomed the visitors while the President of the Cameroonian branch of UPF, Alain Blaise Batongue emphasised on the importance of the meeting.
Other speakers included the Representative of Senator Jean Pierre Rassarin, former French PM and Permanent Representaive of President Nicolas Sakorzy, the International President of the UPF, Alfred Dan Moussa and the Representative of Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the Francophonie.
The UPF is present in 125 countries around the world; there are about 3000 journalists within the association.
The association was created in 1950 at the initiative of a Canadian journalist, Dostaler O’Leary as a friendly platform for French speaking journalists.
Pamela Bidjocka, Editor
