CubaMinrex. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba
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ISLA MARGARITA DECLARATION ON THE PROMOTION OF AN OBJECTIVE VOICE FROM THE SOUTH IN THE FACE OF THE CURRENT TRENDS IN THE FIELDS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS Introduction 1. The Seventh Conference of Ministers of Information of the Non-Aligned Countries (COMINAC VII) was held on Isla Margarita (the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela), 2-4 July 2008, under the theme “Challenges and proposals for the objective dissemination of the voice of the South in the face of the current trends in the fields of information and communications”. Current trends in the fields of information and communications 3. The Ministers reviewed the global trends and developments in information and communication and noted that the dissemination of discriminatory and distorted information of events taking place in developing countries continues unabated. 4. Noting that the continued situation of lopsided information places the vast majority of mankind at a disadvantage, the Ministers reaffirmed the need for urgent redress of the imbalances. 5. The Ministers advocated the implementation of concrete strategies and actions that boost cooperation among Non-Aligned Countries and other developing countries with regards to information and communications processes. 6. The Ministers noted that decreasing costs of communications and easy access to Internet services now afforded Member Countries an unprecedented opportunity to increase information linkages among them. Therefore, the Ministers urged all Member Countries to take advantage of the advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) to forge these links. 7. The Ministers emphasized the need to make effective use of media and information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with a view to contributing to the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women, reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health, to combat HIV-/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and development of global partnership for development for the attainment of a more peaceful just and prosperous world. 8. The Ministers acknowledged that to fully harness ICT in developing countries, it is essential to eradicate poverty, illiteracy and exclusion that prevent developing countries from joining and fully-participating in the Information Society. 9. The Ministers agreed that member countries should work to promote the inclusion of local heritage in their respective ICTs strategies. 10. The Ministers expressed their serious concern at the growing digital divide between developed and developing countries. In this regard, they called for the adoption of adequate measures that can bridge this gap and develop programs for the benefit of all peoples, in particular those from developing countries who risk being left behind and excluded from this process. 11. The Ministers strongly condemned the imposition of unilateral and coercive measures that violate international law and the United Nations Charter, prevent the full achievement of social and economic development of the people living in the affected countries and undermine the wellbeing of their citizens, while discouraging, precluding and impeding their participation in the international market of ICT services, in particular in terms of access to, development and use of software, hardware and networks, including the Internet. 12. The Ministers assessed the performance of Member Countries in the field of information and communication during the last nine years and noted their continuing and increasing efforts to bring about balanced and free flow of information. 13. The Ministers acknowledged the increased efforts being made by some Member Countries and other developing nations to develop their information and communication networks. In this regard, they welcomed TELESUR as a means to promote an objective voice of our countries of the South. 14. Welcoming all the media projects of the regions of the South, the Ministers decided, on a priority basis, to prepare a list of all institutions of developing countries that contribute to the promotion of South-South flow of information. In this regard, they entrusted the Chairman of COMINAC to contact member countries and to prepare the list, as well as to initiate contacts with those organizations with the aim of promoting further cooperation among them. 15. The Ministers reiterated their call for greater investments in the relevant ICT according to the specific situation and capacity of each country in efforts to move forward the interests of the respective countries as well as the interests of the Member Countries as a whole. 16. The Ministers acknowledged the influence and growing role of media in modern public information and communication processes and agreed to further encourage private practitioners to complement the information and communication efforts of government agencies within the context of social responsibility. The struggle for a New Information and Communications World Order 17. The Ministers observed that the long history of the struggle for a New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO), notwithstanding the salient objectives are yet to be realised. 18. The Ministers reaffirmed their common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society. 21. The Ministers reiterated their support to the Tunis Commitment and the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, as adopted at the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, held in Tunis from 16 to 18 November 2005, in particular its provisions relative to development. They also stressed the importance of effective participation of an equitable and effective representation of developing countries in the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit on Information Society, including the Internet Governance Forum and Increased Cooperation. The Ministers further underlined the provisions related to the creation and consolidation of an enabling environment in which sustainable, pluralistic and professional media and infrastructure could flourish in developing countries. 22. The Ministers expressed concern that developing countries are still impoverished, not only materially and economically, but in terms of equitable endowments and opportunities in the field of global information and communication. 23. The Ministers agreed to reduce dependence on information from industrialised nations on Member Countries by initiating and supporting co-operative activities that will augment the new order, through fresh and dynamic approaches to programming, content and networking in the media systems of Member Countries and other developing countries. 24. The Ministers noted the effects of an inequitable global economic system which severely impede the ability of Member Countries to realise their optimum potentials for economic growth and development. They noted the adverse implications of the economic constraint in seeking to evolve more effective strategies for developing efficient and independent information networks that will facilitate the preservation and promotion of national interests. 25. The Ministers declared that the imbalances and inequalities found in global trade and the debt burden still constitute monumental hindrances to genuine social, economic and political progress in developing nations of the world. Accordingly, together with reaffirming their own commitment towards achieving economic and social progress, they called for urgent and sustained international action to create the necessary conditions for each nation to realise their own potential and ensure genuine global peaceful co-existence. 26. The Ministers called for increased investments in human capital and material resources in the area of information and communication and noted that some Member Countries are moving in that direction. 27. The Ministers insisted on the need for training in ICTs in order to have the professionals who can improve the level and quality of these sectors and facilitate the dissemination of information and communications to counter the ever-increasing problems of a globalized world. They underscored the importance of effective measures to stem the exodus of these professionals, and the brain drain by industrialized powers, which have harmful effects on the strategies to develop and improve human resources in developing countries. 28. The Ministers proposed that training programmes be organised, both at institutions of higher learning and by professional journalism institutes, to upgrade the skills of journalists in the coverage of issues of common interest, as well as issues of specific interest to NAM member countries and promoting their tourist destinations. 29. The Ministers also urged these institutions of higher learning and professional journalism institutes, to realise the importance of their contribution towards development and to continue to upgrade the skills of media practitioners so that their reports contribute to the development of their countries. 30. The Ministers stressed the need that information and communications strategies be deeply rooted in historical and cultural processes and made an urgent appeal to the media in developed countries so that their opinions, models and perspectives respect those from the developing countries thus ensuring the continuation of the dialogue among civilizations. 31. In this regard, they welcomed the Alliance of Civilizations efforts to address the challenge of improving cross-cultural and inter-religious understanding and devising concrete tools to respond to emerging crises, such as a Rapid Response Media Mechanism to provide a platform for voices that can help reduce tensions. 32. They expressed concern about the orchestrated smear campaigns which developing countries have suffered from biased and distorted Western media reports, the Ministers re-emphasised the need for sustained efforts by the mechanisms charged with the dissemination of news and information among and about Member Countries to counter this threat. In this regard, they expressed deep concern at the growing campaigns aimed at the defamation of religions. 33. The Ministers recognized the role played by the Broadcasting Organization of the Non-Aligned Countries (BONAC), as a first attempt to disseminate information over the radio and television among NAM members and to the world, and stressed on the need to improve its functioning. 34. The Ministers also recognized and expressed their appreciation to Malaysia for launching and supporting the NAM News Network (NNN), since its inception in 2003 and agreed that NNN continues with its present infrastructure and headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. 35. The Ministers opposed the use of the media as a tool for hostile propaganda against developing countries which are aimed at destabilising their Governments. They called for an immediate cessation of the radio electronic aggression against NAM Member Countries as it is an action contrary to the principles of international law. They reaffirmed that the radio electronic frequencies spectrum must be secured in favour of public interest and in accordance with the principle of legality. The Ministers expressed their support in particular to the decision of the latest International Conference on Radio Communications of the International Telecommunications Union on this subject. 36. The Ministers expressed their full support to the Radio Rules (RR) of the International Telecommunications Union on this subject, recalling that these RR are an international treaty, aimed to harmonize the pacific use of radio electric spectrum among countries. 37. In order to serve as means to promote peace and understanding among countries, the Ministers encouraged media to respect the existing codes of conduct and professional ethics. 38. The Ministers agreed that the NAM should promote professional standards and codes of ethics for the media in accordance with the UN Charter and international law. 39. The Ministers expressed their determination to promote strategies of use and access of ICT addressed to children and teenagers, recognizing its benefits and advising that cyber crime threatens their rights, integrity and security, through pornography and sexual exploitation of this vulnerable segment of the population. 40. The Ministers reiterated their profound condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in accordance with the position adopted by NAM in its 14th Summit, held in Havana; and appreciated the profound role of media in supporting the international efforts to combat terrorism. They regretted the continued tendency of some western media in stereotyping and profiling perpetrators of terrorist acts as Muslims. 41. The Ministers emphasized that self-reliance and commitment to South-South cooperation should be intensified to attain a higher level of activities in order to build and/or strengthen the existing capacities and infrastructure in the field of information and communications both at the national level and within the Non-Aligned Movement. To that end, they encouraged that NAM members render assistance and share expertise and experience among themselves. 42. For the effective promotion and implementation of cooperation among NAM countries in the fields of information and communications, the Ministers agreed on the adoption of the Isla Margarita Program of Action on the promotion of an objective voice of the South in the face of the current trends in the fields of information and communications. 43. Through the aforementioned Program of Action, the Ministers decided to follow up and improve the existing mechanisms in the framework of COMINAC. Vote of thanks 44. The Ministers praised the Government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the excellent organization of this Conference and the warm hospitality accorded to them during their stay in the paradise-like Isla Margarita and they thanked them for that. Isla Margarita (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)
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