Honourable Minister of Information, Communication, Telecommunication and Postal Services – Michael Makuei Lueth

National Legislative Assembly Spokesperson – Hon. Oliver Modi Benjamin

The Director General of the Media Authority - Hon. Elijah Alier

The Director General of National Communication’s Authority – Hon. Napoleon Adok

The deputy chairperson of the Union of Journalists of South Sudan – Ajak Ater

The Executive Director of the Association of Media Development in South Sudan – Ms Irene Aya

Journalists and other media stakeholders present,

Ladies and gentlemen, I salute you all. 

I am pleased to join you and the rest of the world in commemorating this year's World Press Freedom Day in the Republic of South Sudan. On this World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm the fundamental role of a free, independent and safe press in democratic societies. Unfortunately, there is a lot of work to be done as across the globe, journalists continue to face increasing threats to their safety, integrity and right to information.

As the European Union, we commemorate this day under the theme: Defending media freedom to safeguard democracy. We firmly believe that a free press is the best shield for democracy. Journalists must be free to report without fear of censorship, intimidation or reprisals. The European Union will always defend and promote media and press freedom - not just on World Press Freedom Day, but every day.

On World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to one of the fundamental pillars of democracy: media freedom. Free, independent and diverse journalism is essential for any democratic society. Without it, democracy cannot function. The media is more than just an industry - it shapes political discourse, drives cultural development, promotes social inclusion and safeguards fundamental rights.

On this day, we must remember the importance of standing firm in defence of media freedom. Worrying global trends remind us that indifference is not an option. In Europe, too, we must remain vigilant to uphold our democratic values. Press freedom is the backbone of democracy - defending it means protecting our freedoms and the values we hold dear.

In the Republic of South Sudan, I would like to be positive despite the many reports we continue to receive about the challenges that journalists and media houses face. I would like to highlight and welcome the recent approach of holding regular dialogues among media stakeholders to create an enabling environment for journalists to continue to do their work without much interference. I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of the Union of Journalists, Journalists for Human Rights, Association of Media Development in South Sudan, Media Authority, National Communication Authority and donors such as UNESCO, Norwegian People's Aid and others for their efforts aimed at building a competent, reliable, professional, accountable and responsible media industry in this country. 

As the European Union, we are also playing our part with our direct and indirect support to the media fraternity. Last year, we sent two South Sudanese to attend the Connecting Media Communities Conference in Kosovo, which brought together 99 journalists from across the world for two days of intensive learning and sharing. The conference consisted of workshops and panel discussions aimed at increasing knowledge on disinformation and connecting journalists around the world. We believe that such trainings will strengthen the capacity of South Sudanese journalists. Whenever possible, we will continue to send more journalists for such learning engagements.

Sometimes there seems to be a misunderstanding of the role of the media by government authorities, which has often led to anomalies. Nevertheless, the more you dialogue and share ideas, the more you build trust, and the free press can then play its role as the fourth estate, enabling citizens to make informed decisions through truthful and objective reporting.

Ladies and Gentlemen in the media industry, I would like to appeal to you to get as much training as you can, adhere to the journalistic ethics and code of conduct and work hard. Media owners, remuneration plays a major role in motivating or demotivating reporters, which has a direct impact on the quality of reporting. Please do all you can to ensure that reporters receive the logistical support they need and a fair wage for their labour.

And to you, government officials, especially in the Media Authority, swiftly play your role as arbiter between media practitioners and other actors whenever the need arises, so that negative stories about arrests, detentions and confiscation of reporters and press equipment by other actors are minimised.

Last but not least, I would like to congratulate all stakeholders for their role in improving the Press Freedom Index, which has significantly improved from 136 to 109 according to the latest Reporters Without Borders report. Please, let's work together to improve South Sudan’s ranking even further.

I look forward to receiving the research report on the state of media freedom and human rights and wish you a happy World Press Freedom Day!

Thank YOU!

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