West, Central Africa: ADISI-Cameroon, CENOZO partner to promote quality journalism.

The agreement was signed between ADISI-Cameroon, a civil society organisation, and the Norbert Zongo Cell for Investigative Journalism in West Africa, CENOZO.

CENOZO is an investigative and training centre created by investigative journalists from West Africa.

The agreement between the two organisations seeks to contribute to good governance, security, democracy, and sustainable development in West African countries through the promotion of investigative journalism.

By signing the partnership agreement with ADISI-Cameroon, CENOZO aims to expand its activities to Central Africa and enhance collaboration among journalists in the region. 

Speaking during the signing ceremony, President of the Administrative Council of CENOZO, David Dembele, said the collaboration would help journalists who work sensitive topics in the sub regions.

“This is clearly a partnership convention which will center on transnational partnership because we have journalists who time and again work on sensitivity topics which have to do with central African countries,” Dembele said. 

He added that: “It is all about creating a bridge between the members of his organisation and that of ADISI-Cameroon, training journalists and accompanying them in their everyday quest for information in order to make significant impact in the society”.

Through this partnership agreement, journalists are expected to develop new qualities as far as investigative journalism is concerned as well as delivering quality reports. 

“It is all about going beyond the national level and collaborating with other experts in the field of journalism,” noted Paul-Joël Kamtchang, Executive Secretary of ADISI- Cameroon. 

He added that: “Nowadays, there are new tools that come into play and there's need for journalists to know how to manipulate the data that come along with these new tools. Reason why it is vital for a sub-regional collaboration”. 

It is worth mentioning that the agreement involves pooling efforts to promote quality journalism, as both organisations commit to working together to train journalists in new approaches to journalism and to encourage investigative journalism. 

It is also planned to support journalists in conducting cross-border investigations, in order to foster better collaboration among countries in the region.

That notwithstanding, the initiative aims to raise awareness among the states about their commitments regarding access to information as a human right as ADISI-Cameroon has been advocating for the defense of human rights, including access to information and freedom of expression. 

The organisation therefore, calls for the reform of the law on access to information in Cameroon and the opening of data specifically in the basic social sectors.

According to the journalist who were present at the conference hall, the partnership agreement between both institutions represents a significant step forward in promoting quality journalism in West and Central Africa. 

It will strengthen collaboration among journalists in the region, train journalists in new approaches to journalism, promote investigative journalism, and contribute to better protection of journalists. 

An initiative, they say, is essential to ensure quality information and strengthen democracy in the region.