Abudja , NIGERIA , 1 st November 2006

The 43 rd Ordinary session of the Union of National Radio and Television Organizations of Africa (URTNA) was held on 1 st November 2006 at the Ladi Kwali Conference Hall of the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria under the Chairmanship of Mr Ben EGBUNA, President of URTNA and Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), assisted by Mrs Philomene ABOUDOU, representative of the Broadcasting Organization of Benin (ORTB) and 1 st Vice-President,MrLawrence ATIASE, Secretary General of URTNA and Mr Tahar BEDDIAR , representative of the Télédiffusion d’Algérie and Legal Adviser. Active member organizations from the following 16 countries : Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and Swaziland, as well as two Associate members OFRT (France) and Radio Vatican were represented.

Standing: Left to right Representatives of Southern, Northern, Eastern, western, and central Africa zones. Seeting: Left to right Vice president(Mozambique), Vice-president(Benin), President(Nigeria), Chief Executive Officer, Vice-president(Algeria)

The General Assembly expressed profound appreciation to the Government and the People of Nigeria for the warm hospitality accorded to all the delegates. It also expressed sincere condolences to the families of the recent ADC air disaster.

The General Assembly recalled the decision taken by the Administrative Council at its 58 th meeting held on the 16 th and 17 th January 2006 to set up a New Vision Committee to address the structural and financial problems which had plagued URTNA with the aim to revamp and transform the Union and put it on a sound footing.

It noted that the Committee met in Algiers, Algeria in May 2006 and Abuja, Nigeria in June 2006 and submitted its findings and recommendations which proposed a new structure, redefined the Union’s operations and services, reviewed and changed the Union’s statutes in line with the new vision and new mission, as well as proposed new mechanisms for revenue generation.

The General Assembly adopted the recommendations of the New Vision Committee at its 43 rd ordinary session held in Abuja, Nigeria on 1 st November 2006, and

 

1. renamed URTNA the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) in the spirit of the new vision and mission.

2. The new vision is : ‘’To be a first class broadcasting Union contributing to the enrichment of the quality of life and projecting the true African perspective’’.

3. The mission is : ‘’To provide and sustain quality of life and development through excellent broadcasting delivery with the widest range of programmes and services to Africa and Africans worldwide’’ as well as .

4. Establish a ‘’Pan African Broadcasting Network’’ (PABN). This is to be anchored as a three-year programme. The PABN as envisaged will be better able to harness AUB members input and provide the broadcasting services required as well as project the true African perspective.

 

The General Assembly also elected the members of its newly created Executive Council as follows :

• - President : Nigeria
• - 1 st Vice-President : Algeria
• - 2 nd Vice-President : Benin
• - 3 rd Vice-President : Mozambique
• - Members :

• South Africa
• Senegal
• Kenya
• Cameroon
• Libya
• Chief Executive Officer

 

as well as the members of the four specialized commissions :

• Programme
• Training and Technology
• Administrative, Legal and Financial and
• Marketing, Sales and Communication

 

The General Assembly adopted the auditors reports for the years 2004 and 2005 covering the General Secretariat and all the permanent centres as well as the draft budget for the year 2007.

It also adopted the strategy for the management and coverage of sporting and cultural events for the member organizations and further approved the proposal for a major concerted effort by the broadcasting family of the continent to make the coverage of the 2010 World Cup football tournament in South Africa a resounding success.

The General Assembly appointed Mr Lawrence ATIASE as Acting Chief Executive Officer and charged the Management of the new Union with carrying out the following measures :

 

• Recovery of outstanding subscriptions of defaulting members of the former Union through the rescheduling of their debts to ensure their participation in AUB;
• Promptly disseminate the objectives of the new union and insist on its all-inclusive nature to broadcasters in Africa and the diaspora;
• Promote Africast/AUB partnership in the interest of all broadcasters on the continent.

 

The General Assembly also charged the Management of the new Union to define a concrete framework for a mutually rewarding partnership with ABN, MATRIX 7 Broadcasting Inc, African Universal Media, Wellspring Africa Creative and other partners.

 

The General Assembly approved the transfer of the activities of the permanent centres in Algiers, Nairobi, Bamako and Ouagadougou to the Headquarters in Dakar, Senegal.

 

It also took the following decisions :

• The seat of the Union remains in Dakar, Senegal
• Call for capital should be a continuous process so that the Union can meet its financial obligations

The maiden General Assembly session of the AUB has been fixed for the first week of September 2007 in Kenya. Prior to that session, the Executive Council will meet in January 2007 in Dakar, Senegal to put in place the structure of the new Union.

 

Done in Abuja on 1 st November 2006

 

  Lawrence ATIASE                                                            Ben  EGBUNA        

Ag Chief Executive Officer                                                    President