Ghana to host global conference on access to information

UNESCO has selected Ghana to host this year's Global Conference on the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

The prestigious event is scheduled to take place in Accra on October 1-2,2024. The 2024 Global Conference in Accra marks the first time the celebration is being hosted by an African Member State, providing an opportunity to highlight successful access to information practices on the continent.

The conference's main objective is to offer governments and civil society a list of best practices for mainstreaming the right to information into the organisational systems and culture of different public authorities. 

Panel

The conference, to be held on the theme: “Mainstreaming Access to Information and Participation across the Public Sector,” would include a high-level Inter-ministerial panel discussion to improve mainstream access to information across the government sectors.

The panel will allow ministers to highlight the importance of an enabling environment for the Right to Information, focusing on Legal, Technological and Sustainable Development aspects of access to information.

They will also discuss the role of the standard-setting instruments from the African Union, the Council of Europe, and other intergovernmental organisations, focusing on various mainstreaming aspects of access to information. 

Adoption

The two-day global conference will be concluded by adopting an Accra Statement titled “Harnessing the Power of Data for Positive Change: A Commitment to Access to Information” and launching a Special Joint Publication commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Model Law on Access to Information in Africa.

The United Nations proclaimed September 28 as the International Day for Universal Access to Information at its 74th General Assembly in October 2019, following UNESCO's initial proclamation in 2015.

This day aims to raise awareness of the need to expand information laws and their actual implementation, thereby building inclusive institutions worldwide. 

Ghana’s progress

Announcing the selection of Ghana, the Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, said: “This significant recognition serves as a testament to our progress in promoting Ghana's right to information.”

“Today, we have invited you here to announce a remarkable milestone, one that will not only resonate throughout our nation and beyond but also underscore our unwavering commitment to progress, transparency and global collaboration.

“I am thrilled to announce that UNESCO has selected Ghana to host the 2024 Global Conference of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI),” she said.

Cooperation

The Representative of UNESCO, Yakubu Abdul Hamid, said the decision to offer Ghana the hosting rights demonstrated the cooperation between UNESCO and Ghana. That, he said, underscored the significance and dedication that Ghana accorded the critical issues, especially about access to information as well as further highlighting the country's commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and universal right to access information.

The conference, he said, provided the opportunity to showcase access to information practices in the region. The Secretary General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, Ama Serwah Nerquaye-Tetteh, said the commission was delighted that the country had been selected to host the all-important conference to commemorate the IDUAI.

“We recall that Ghana also hosted the global conference on World Press Freedom Day in 2018 as well as the recent Africa Media Convention, all under the auspices of UNESCO,” she said and that the hosting was a feather in Ghana’s cap.