By:
Kanto Kai Okanta
Namibia’s
Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, has
convened a consultative meeting between the Ministry and representatives of the
Action Namibia Coalition to discuss the operationalisation of the country’s
Access to Information framework and explore opportunities for collaboration in
supporting its implementation.
The
engagement comes after the Minister’s decision in early March to suspend the
recruitment process for an Information Commissioner to allow for wider
stakeholder consultations aimed at strengthening awareness, alignment and
consensus on the implementation process.
According
to the Ministry, the discussions centred on building cooperation between
government institutions and civil society organisations to ensure the effective
and smooth rollout of the Access to Information framework in Namibia.
The
meeting also provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange views on the
framework’s implementation strategy and identify areas where collaborative
efforts could help strengthen transparency, accountability and public access to
information.
The
Ministry reiterated its commitment to inclusive engagement and consultation
with relevant stakeholders as part of efforts to advance access to information
and promote good governance in the country.
