Juba, South Sudan
March 10, 2022—The Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) conducted a monthly breakfast meeting in Juba yesterday to improve relationships between journalists and various media stakeholders across South Sudan.
The meeting was also aimed to address issues that are affecting the journalists in the country.
Speaking to journalists during the meeting in Juba on Wednesday, the Director-General for South Sudan Media Authority, Mr. Sapana Abuyi urged journalists to demonstrate professionalism while conducting media works.
“We appeal to journalists to maintain professional standards. We as the regulators with the Union of Journalists of South Sudan will soon launch the accreditation of journalists so that we separate those who are journalists from those who are spoiling the name and the work of journalists. That is the only way that we will be able to know and we will be able to protect the industry and protect you as journalists,” Abuyi told Journalists on Wednesday.
In his remarks during the same event in Juba on Wednesday, UJOSS President Oyet Patrick Charles said they feel that the meeting was very very important and they will continue to have it on a monthly basis.
“.. We plan to have this meeting monthly. We thank the Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian People’s Aid for their support. We believe it is good to have a forum where we meet monthly and discuss some of the issues that affect us as journalists,” UJOSS Charles said.
Charles also raised concerns on continuous violations against journalists including the recent kidnapping and beating of the Eye Radio journalist in Juba last week.
Norwegian Embassy representative Jonas Huus says the media is very crucial in nation-building.
“The fact that journalists are friends to society is absolutely true. First of all, they provide objective information about what is going on, and it is absolutely crucial. Journalists also create a public sphere of debate across the nation, and that is crucial in nation-building,” Huus stressed.
The breakfast meeting was funded by the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) under the theme “a journalist as a friend and partner.”
The meeting brought together UJOSS partners, government stakeholders, members of the diplomatic mission, editors, media managers, and journalists across all corners in South Sudan.
