By: Ginaba Lino
The National Ministry of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services, with support from UNESCO, JICA, and Norwegian People’s Aid have organized a three-day media and security conference in Juba.
The Media and Security conference brings State Ministers, journalists and security to dialogue and strengthen cooperation as the country prepares for its first general elections scheduled for December 2026.
The Media and Security conference organized under theme, shaping a future at peace: promoting press freedom, human rights and development, through elections brought together journalists, media institutions, organized forces, stakeholders and Ministers of information across the ten States and the three administrative Areas.
Minister of ICT Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny says the relationship between the media and security institutions should not be defined by confrontation, fear or mistrust. Citing that it should be guided by cooperation, professionalism, dialogue and mutual respect.
Ateny stated that Journalists play a critical role in informing citizens, especially during elections and periods of national importance.
“The relationship between the media and security institutions should not be defined by confrontation, fear or mistrust. It should be guided by cooperation, professionalism, dialogue and mutual respect. Journalists play a critical role in informing citizens, especially during elections and periods of national importance. At the same time, security institutions have a duty to maintain public order, protect lives and safeguard national stability.”
He highlights the importance of the Media, adding that the media helped in investigating cases that the security can take and use in the court of law because the journalists investigate and have evidence.
“Media helped in investigating cases that the security can take and will be even using it in the court of law by saying a credible media fraternity has investigated this and this is what they have to write in their own newspaper or in their page in social media or any other platform that they might have used to investigate the case.”
“A free, responsible and professional media is not an enemy of the state. Rather, it is an important partner in nation building. Peace building, accountability, public awareness and development,” Minister Ateny said.
Emphasizing on the cyber-Crime and Computer misuse, he called on the journalists to be responsible in their dealing reports. He urged the media to remain responsible, balanced, patriotic, and committed to peace.
In his part, the Chairperson of Union of Journalists of South Sudan Patrick Oyet highlights some of the improvement in relationship between the media sector and the security organs, adding that over the past five years, South Sudan has made some notable and commendable progress in advancing press freedom.
Oyet says, South Sudan media sector is facing challenges, especially the print media. Papers are not being bought.
He expresses his gratitude to the Information Minister for engaging Meta for monetizing contents in South Sudan which he believed will give an opportunity for the media to start earning from their pages and pay their journalists well.
“I am told some media houses in East Africa pay the entire staff of their media with all the money they get online. YouTube, Facebook and so forth. So it is also in place that our government should do something about our content being monetized from South Sudan to help our media houses in this challenging situation.”
The UJOSS Chairperson proposes a National Fund for Public Interest Media which the government can contribute to, as well as partners.
He adds that the government should contribute because the money of some media donors or partners is not fully supportive.
Oyet highlights some of the UJOSS progress which have been made during his time as the Chair of the Union, citing that they have acquired lands in eastern Equatoria, Torit, Bor, Yambio, and Upper Nile states.
Spokesperson of South Sudan’s People Defense Forces (SSPDF) Gen. Lul Ruai Koang acknowledged the importance of working closely with the media and ensuring the people get accurate information timely.
He encourages the journalists to get information from the right source assigned spokesperson of the institution and avoid rushing in publishing stories without verifying it.