Following the establishment of an office in Maputo in 2010, Panos Institute Southern Africa continues to make great strides in Mozambique and has established partnerships with leading media houses in that country, which will further enhance the coverage of development issues.

The partnerships were established under the Global Issues Journalism Fellowships (GIJF) project that is supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The project has already produced positive and measurable results, especially in terms of improved media quality and promotion of debate on key development policy issues, ranging from global to local levels.

Following systematic dialogue and exchange between PSAf and several media houses, involving managers and editors, with a view to ensuring that the project’s supports to media houses is effective and benefits from their input, PSAf Mozambique reached agreements for collaboration with seven media institutions (print and broadcast), culminating in the signing of Memoranda of Understanding on August 5.

Based on our current collaboration experience, which includes a Development Journalism Baseline Study and well-defined “Development Journalism Roadmap 2011-2012”, PSAf Mozambique and the involved Media Houses are now ready to take a step forward, by accepting a mutual commitment to a further strengthened partnership, towards a sustainable institutionalization of development journalism.

The agreements have been reached with the following media houses: Rádio Mocambique, (Public broadcaster), Televisão de Mocambique (Public broadcaster), Sociedade Independente de Comunicação (SOICO), (running STV, “O Pais” newspaper and SFM Radio; Mediacoop, (running “Savana”, Mediafax and Radio Savana),  Sociedade do Noticias (running “Noticias” and “Domingo”), Magazine Independente and Diario de Mocambique (based in the central city of Beira).

The MoUs will be valid for one year, with a possibility for further extension.