India, Afghanistan ink media cooperation MoU

NEW DELHI (PAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation and capacity building in the critical sectors of information and broadcasting.

The MoU was signed between India’s Minister for Information & Broadcasting Ambika Soni and Afghanistan Information and Culture Minister Sayed Makhdoom Raheen in on Tuesday.

Speaking after the signing ceremony,   Ambika Soni said the MoU would provide the two countries a platform for the development of media policies and strategies.

“It would also enable the government of Afghanistan to incorporate learning of key policy initiatives taken by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry related to digitalisation, self-regulation, content management and innovative programming with regard to outreach programmes at the grass roots,” she said.

She also gave an overview of recent policy changes brought about in the broadcasting sector, which enabled the growth of the media and entertainment industry over the last few years.

Dr.  Raheen said the MoU would enable Afghanistan to draw a roadmap for media policies and strategies in the future. The MoU covers a wide range of issues, including policy and strategy development, project management, financial management and procurement processes.

The focus is on capacity building, covering critical areas like development of media policies and strategies, independent and free press in Afghanistan and identification of areas of reforms and restructuring in the field of press and media.

Afghanistan can also benefit from the pact in terms of development and standardisation of media-related programmes, graphic designing and production of documentaries and films.

 Production and broadcasting activities of Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA), including content management, feature in the agreement. Afghanistan can learn from India marketing of TV and Radio programmes for revenue generation.

Another key aspect of the MoU relates to the provision of advisory services for supporting policy and strategy development and system improvement in Afghanistan.

This would entail exposure visits, training of Afghan civil servants at relevant institutes in India, on-job practical training and establishing institutes in Afghanistan.

As part of the capacity building technical process, India is providing satellite up-linking facilities for state-owned RTA. A process has also been initiated to facilitate the flow of films from India into Afghanistan.

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