USA vows to support Botswana journalists

United States Government has pledged to continue to raise the issue of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act with the Government of Botswana.

U.S Embassy Charged D’ Affairs, Timothy Smith said this week that it remains their hope that Botswana will soon adopt a FOI Bill that ensures greater openness, transparency and access to information for the people of Botswana. He stated that government will continue with this issue because in 2015, Freedom House rated Botswana only ‘partly free’ when it assessed freedom of the press.

Botswana Government has for years now promised to bring to Parliament FOI Bill through the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration. Smith who was speaking during the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day in Gaborone this week said his government is particularly proud of the important work their media partners in Botswana are doing every day.

“I want to recognise the INK Centre for Investigative Journalism, which was launched by two U.S. Government media exchange alumni in 2015, the Editors Forum, composed of representation from public and private press and Media Institute of Southern Africa. Our support to Botswana’s media groups will continue”, he said.

Smith said in Botswana their ongoing engagement and direct partnerships reflect the two countries’ shared values and commitment to democracy’s fundamental principles, especially a robust and independent civil society and free press. The U.S official stated that the media in Botswana is doing an admirable job of keeping the nation informed and at the same time holding people accountable. Democracy, he said needs this type of strong, diverse and vibrant media to thrive.

He explained that the U.S Embassy’s support for the media encompasses a spectrum of programming and outreach. This includes professional development training, journalists’ exchange and advocacy for access to information, he said. The U.S also values freedom of the press as an essential component of democratic governance, said Smith.

Democratic societies, he said are not infallible, but they are accountable, and the exchange of ideas is the foundation for accountable governance. “In the U.S and in many places around the world, the press fosters active debate, provides investigative reporting, and serves as a forum to express different points of views. This is done particularly on behalf of those who are marginalised in society. The U.S commends journalists around the world for the role they play, and for their commitment to the free exchange of ideas”, Smith stated.

He revealed that the U.S Department of State recently launched its fifth annual ‘Free the Press’ campaign as part of its efforts to mark the importance of a free and independent media in the days leading up to World Press Freedom Day. This year, the fifth anniversary of the campaign, the Department highlights journalists and the media outlets that we have identified in previous years that were censored, attacked, threatened, imprisoned or otherwise oppressed because of their reporting whose situations have not yet improved, said Smith, adding “we will also highlight troubling trends in the persecution of journalists worldwide.”