Luanda - The Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technology and Social Communication (MINTTICS) and the Southern African Association of Public and Private Television and Radio Broadcasters (SABA) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday in Luanda to promote the exchange of experience, professional training and the broadcasting of content.
The purpose of the memorandum is to align the terms of co-operation that the signatories intend to establish in the field of media, involving radio and television broadcasting, as well as to strengthen and expand exchanges between the institutions.
According to the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Pascoal Borges Alé Fernandes, the protocol will allow programmes and projects linked to agriculture, the environment, telecommunications, industry and energy to be shared and known in the region, creating a favourable environment for development.
He also emphasised, among other actions, the sharing and dissemination of content of interest to the parties and the media, ensuring and supporting the holding of short, medium and long-term training courses in Angola, as well as actions to exchange experiences.
According to the Secretary of State, the media is called upon to play a leading role in realising this goal.
He pointed out that Angola, as Chair of SADC, has in mind a programme that SABA will contribute to disseminating in the Southern African region and with advocacy actions aimed at promoting and enhancing the country's chairmanship of SABA.
He said he was sure that a trained and informed society is capable of contributing to development.
In turn, the president of SABA, Stanley Similo, considered the act to be significant, as it demonstrated the engagement that political leaders have with public communication companies.
"This alignment is extremely important because it will help us to have a better position in the region and I believe that, with this signing, other states will show interest in SABA," he added.
He emphasised that the agreement of understanding would allow for the exchange of content and make it possible for Angola to make available media.
The memorandum is the result of the SABA delegation's visit to the country, with the aim of bringing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) closer together through various projects linked to the telecommunications sector, one of which is the creation of a regional television channel.
The SABA delegation, led by the association's president, Stanley Similo, has been in the country since Tuesday and has already visited various media organisations.
The Association of Public and Private Television and Radio Broadcasters in the SADC Region was set up in 1993 as a non-profit Non-Governmental Organisation with the aim of promoting quality media, highlighting professionalism and public service credibility in the countries of the region. EVC/OHA/DAN/DOJ
