An informal information meeting of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) took place last week to discuss the latest developments regarding the IPDC’s work since the last Council session in November 2020.
Anna Brandt, IPDC Chair and Ambassador of Sweden to UNESCO, informed participants that during this period, the Programme was able to support 95 projects and special allocations, including 30 projects in Africa, 11 in the Arab States, 22 in Asia and the Pacific, 1 in Europe, and 29 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Among these, 26 projects were implemented in Least Developed Countries and five projects in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Ambassador Brandt drew attention to the 17 grassroots projects approved in October as part of the IPDC’s latest call for proposals, which specifically target Africa, the Arab States region and SIDS, and included a strong focus on gender equality, media’s response to COVID and to disasters, and innovation. This latest call was enabled by an additional contribution from The Netherlands.
Ambassador Brandt announced that “the IPDC Special Account has nearly doubled its funds raised in 2020 in comparison with 2019, with a total amounting more than 2,7 million USD". She also referred to two new earmarked contributions from the private sector, namely from Google and the Internet Society.
Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for the Sector for Communication and Information at UNESCO, underlined the unique mandate of the IPDC, which combines normative work done the IPDC Council with support for applications from local organizations promoting freedom of expression, is unique. “Together”, he stated, “these elements have made the IPDC an essential multilateral platform for thinking and acting on media development”.
During the upcoming UNESCO General Conference on 18 November, positions for half of the IPDC Council will be considered by Member States, and adoption of the new statutes of the Council will also be decided.
The informal information meeting heard that on November 25, at an extraordinary meeting of newly constituted IPDC intergovernmental council to held in Room IX, at 14.30, the new IPDC bureau will be elected.
The informal meeting was an occasion for the Members of the Bureau to express their gratitude to both Anna Brandt and Guy Berger, IPDC Secretary, for their respective roles within the IPDC programme.
Established in 1980, the IPDC is the only multilateral forum in the UN system designed to mobilize the international community to discuss and promote media development in developing countries.