Statement: Greater commitment shown by France to worldwide media development
World Press Freedom Day highlights the vital importance of the role played by journalists and also how important it is that journalists receive support all around the world. CFI, the French media development agency, is reiterating its commitment to supporting journalists alongside the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
This partnership was recently formalised for the first time in a strategic roadmap that was drafted following an extensive process of consultation and which responds to the urgent need for the promotion of free, high-quality, diverse and reliable information.
Preserving the integrity of information as misinformation becomes more pervasive
Given the alarming rise in manipulated information, the Media and Development roadmap sets out two major objectives. First, French media development work is to be coordinated, which will make the initiatives of the organisations involved clearer. The second objective is to identify France's priorities in addition to optimal approaches. The aim is to promote a French and European model that safeguards media diversity, transparency and independence and ensures press freedom.
CFI firmly rooted in France's commitment to delivering high-quality information
In the implementation of these twin objectives, the roadmap underscores CFI's pivotal role as the sole French state agency responsible for media development policy.
CFI's operations are currently driven by four key objectives:
• Improving the media environment (legislation, economic viability of media organisations, journalist safety, etc.).
• Supporting the production of reliable information and tackling misinformation (fact-checking, media literacy, etc.).
• Promoting information about objectives relating to sustainable development and issues facing society, particularly gender equality and human rights compliance.
• Making media development initiatives as effective as possible.
By firmly prioritising these four objectives and designating CFI to spearhead the strategy's implementation, France is demonstrating its commitment to making media more resilient and to promoting free, high-quality information around the world.
For more information:
• Roadmap for free: 2023-2027 Media and Development roadmap
• Press release: The press area
