ADDIS ABABA – The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Communication Programs, announced the launch of nationwide media capacity trainings in support of democratic elections in Ethiopia.
On the occasion, Amanda Jackson, U.S. Embassy Public Relations Officer in Ethiopia said in the goal of the program is to enhance the skill sets of journalists and strengthen the institutional capacity of Ethiopian media organizations to produce objective, fact-based reporting on the elections process, which will in turn improve the quality of information available to the Ethiopian public in the lead up to the 2020 national elections.
Amanda also added that the training intended to enhance the capacity of journalists in providing accurate and balanced information objectively during the election.
The program will run for six consecutive months and involve a total of twenty-five one-week trainings sessions throughout Ethiopia, and constitutes an important part of the United States’ support for free, fair, and credible elections in Ethiopia.
Soleyana Shemelis Geberemichale, Communication Advisor at National Election Board of Ethiopia said on her part that this project is key to avoid disinformation and enhance the flaw of accurate, balanced, impartial and timely information to the public relating with election.
“We are working to a wide well-organized window for media to access information because media have the power to facilitate democratic election by providing constructive information,” she added.
Dr. Semir Yusuf, a political science scholar, said that media should force the government to protect democratic and human rights of the people and force it to ensure rule of law, address the need of the public and create discussions platform.
Participant journalists also said that media has a powerful weapon in ensuring democratic transition. However, the practice of journalistic professionalism is under challenge in case of professionalism without economic freedom and proper editorial policy.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 5/2020
BY MULATU BELACHEW
