Mauritania, Liberia and Gambia back RSF-initiated Dakar Declaration on Right to Information in Sahel

The article highlights a critical coalition between Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and governments in the Sahel, specifically Mauritania, The Gambia, and Liberia, to counter the severe decline in security and press freedom. By endorsing the Declaration on the Right to Information in the Sahel, these nations commit to protecting journalists from violence and impunity, ensuring access to conflict zones, and maintaining uninterrupted internet connectivity during crises. This political alignment aims to prevent the region from becoming a "no-information zone," where physical threats and disinformation have silenced independent voices. A central pillar of this initiative is the recognition of community radio stations as vital infrastructure for disseminating reliable information to local populations. The campaign emphasizes that sustaining these local media outlets is essential for maintaining public access to credible news, particularly in areas where traditional journalism is often inaccessible or dangerous. By supporting the establishment of a regional media support agency, the declaration seeks to strengthen the independence and sustainability of local journalism, ensuring that citizens can make informed decisions despite the volatile environment. This development is highly relevant to open data because it underscores the foundational link between press freedom and the accessibility of information. Open data initiatives depend on a free press to interpret, analyze, and disseminate government data to the public. If journalists are targeted or censored, the transparency that open data promises is effectively nullified. Therefore, securing the legal and physical safety of journalists is a prerequisite for the successful application of open government data, ensuring that data is not only published but also freely accessed and utilized by civil society for accountability and democratic engagement.

Source: rsf.org
Published on 2025-11-01

Mauritania, Liberia and Gambia back RSF-initiated Dakar Declaration on Right to Information in Sahel

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