The Third World Media Network (TWMN) has decided to hold two regional conferences of its chapters in Asia and Africa later this year. The Asian conference was planned for holding in Kathmandu, Nepal in October and the African conference in Lesotho or Benin in September. The decision was taken at a meeting of its central committee in Geneva recently.
The meeting, chaired by TWMN President Sohel Manzur, unanimously decided to hold the Asian conference in Kathmandu, but refrained from taking a final decision on the venue of the African conference pending a feasibility study by the Lesotho chapter.
The meeting advised Lesotho chapter President Thandiwe Solwandle to carry out the study within April and report to the central committee on its outcome by May 1, 2004.
Based on the outcome of the study, the African conference can be held either in Lesotho or in Benin.
The meeting also formed a five-member working group to prepare bylaws for the organisation by May 1, 2004. Godfrey Marawanyika, Treasurer of the central committee and President of the Zimbabwe committee, was made the Convenor of the working group.
Ivory Coast committee President Louis Amede, who was selected the Joint Convenor, will prepare the French version of the bylaws for the West African chapters.
Other members of the working group include Thandiwe Solwandle, Nirmala Acharya, General Secretary of the Nepal committee, and Olga Manda-Mwaba, Vice President of the Zambia committee.
The meeting also advised the country presidents to involve the members in monitoring the local media situation on a regular basis and report to the central committee whenever a violation of press freedom takes place anywhere.
TWMN Vice President Geoffrey Kapembwa, General Secretary Abel Gbetoenonmon, Joint Secretaries Ansoumane Camara and Alpha Mamadou Barry, and central committee members Edmond Rakotomalala and Sokheng Vong also attended the meeting.