Silaa Commits to Strengthening Collaboration with CoRI

A group photo of the Minister of Information, Communications and Information Technology, CoRI Members, TCRA and ministry officials.

The Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa (MP), has assured the Coalition on the Right to Information (CoRI) of his ministry’s full cooperation.

This assurance was given on November 21, 2024, when CoRI members paid a courtesy visit to the minister at the Conference Hall of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) in Dar es Salaam.

In his welcoming remarks, Minister Silaa emphasized the importance of collaboration between his ministry and CoRI institutions, reaffirming his commitment to fostering a supportive environment for the media industry.

“My doors are always open, and the ministry will continue to work closely with CoRI. I believe we share the same goal of creating a favorable working environment for journalists and the media industry,” said Minister Silaa.

Speaking on behalf of CoRI, its chairman and Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Ernest Sungura, highlighted the purpose of the visit. He noted that the meeting aimed to foster mutual understanding and explore avenues for collaboration.

“We felt it was important to meet you, introduce CoRI institutions and their core activities, and discuss strategies for future cooperation,” Sungura said.

He also raised concerns about certain media laws and the Information and Broadcasting Policy of 2003, which CoRI believes hinder media freedom and access to information. He urged the ministry to address these issues to create a better environment for the media and journalists.

Representatives from nine of CoRI’s 16 member institutions attended the meeting, using the opportunity to present their areas of focus. These institutions included the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), MISA Tanzania, Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC), Tanzania Editors Forum (TEF), Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA), the Organization of Journalists Against Drug Abuse and Crime in Tanzania (OJADACT), Jamii Forums, SIKIKA, and Twaweza East Africa.

The meeting marked a significant step in enhancing the partnership between the government and CoRI in advocating for media rights and freedoms in Tanzania. Ends.