The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

Last week, 7-8 April 2022, the Information Regulator (Regulator), hosted a two-day African Network of Information Commissions (ANIC) online conference aimed at creating a platform for peer learning and support among oversight bodies on access to information on the African continent. The conference was attended by oversight bodies on Access to Information (ATI) from Kenya, South Sudan, Seychelles, South Africa, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivore, Togo, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana who are all members of the Forum. The theme of the two-day meeting was, “An Africa network for the advancement of right of access to information”.

Key issues raised were barriers and challenges to the execution of the access to information mandate by the member of the network, these included a culture of secrecy within public offices, lack of resources, accessibility and visibility to the public, legal powers for enforcement, balance of ATI laws with other laws, as well as budget constraints. 

Discussing the challenges, the commissioners said the culture of secrecy in the public sector was a great hinderance in carrying out access to information mandates and it needs to be clear that information in the public sector belongs to the people and not to the sector. The commissioners also expressed the challenge of poor records management which infringed heavily on exercising the right to access information. 

The Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) proposed that to address some of these barriers and challenges, there needs to be stronger collaboration between Network members at regional level, capacity building, peer learning and information sharing as well as joint resource mobilisation across the different commissions in Africa. The network then drafted a programme of action which contains activities to address the challenges experienced.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also came on board to say it would support the ANIC by assisting in the development of bilingual documents, providing online courses on ATI laws and policies, resource allocation as well as fundraising. 

The two-day meeting was characterised by strengthening the establishment of the ANIC structure, where it adopted its charter. The charter will be the founding and guiding document for the network. It outlines how the network will function in order to ensure that the ATI laws in Africa are promoted and respected. The session on the second day was an open meeting with civil society organisations that play a pivotal role in the implementation and promotion of ATI. The network strongly calls on the collaboration and support from civil society to ANIC for the realisation of this human right in Africa.

In closing the two-day session, the interim chairperson of ANIC, Adv Pansy Tlakula said she hopes all network members will work with speed, commitment, and enthusiasm to get ANIC off the ground. “This network will enable us to share experiences and to strengthen our respective commissions,” she said.  

ANIC was formed at the March 2019 International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) after recognising a need for a network focusing on access to information on the African continent. Currently a total of 26 African countries have ATI Laws. 

Issued by Information Regulator South Africa