ACME and SEATINI Uganda Partner to Enhance Media Coverage of Trade and Development Issues
ACME and SEATINI Uganda Partner to Enhance Media Coverage of Trade and Development Issues
The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) and the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) Uganda have joined forces in a collaborative effort to bolster journalists’ capacity in reporting on development issues. The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) solidifies their commitment to fostering social justice, challenging prevailing narratives, promoting transparency and accountability, and influencing policy decisions.
The agreement, signed at the ACME office in Bunga, Kampala, marks the beginning of a partnership aimed at co-creating and implementing capacity-building initiatives that enhance media coverage of trade, fiscal, investment, and development matters.
George Lugalambi, Executive Director of ACME, expressed the significance of the partnership, highlighting the potential to develop a locally-driven agenda that addresses pertinent issues. “We warmly welcome this collaboration and are eager to work hand in hand as indigenous organizations to achieve our shared goals,” said Lugalambi.
Jane Nalunga, Executive Director of SEATINI, acknowledged the crucial role played by the media in raising public awareness and shaping public opinion, ultimately influencing policy-making. She emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to examining issues and lauded the efforts to formalize the collaboration with ACME. “By solidifying our partnership, we aim to empower the media to adopt a holistic perspective on issues,” Nalunga stated.
The three-year MoU between ACME and SEATINI encompasses five key areas of collaboration, including information sharing, capacity building, networking support, strategic advice, joint advocacy and campaigns, periodic meetings, and fundraising.
SEATINI Uganda, a pan-African non-governmental organization, is dedicated to promoting pro-development trade, fiscal, and investment policies and practices for sustainable and equitable development, improving livelihoods in Uganda and the East African Community.
ACME’s mission is to facilitate the media’s effectiveness as a platform for providing information on public affairs, monitoring official power, and fostering vibrant public debate.
This partnership between ACME and SEATINI Uganda signifies a significant step towards empowering journalists to address critical trade and development issues, ultimately contributing to a more informed public discourse and decision-making process.