Info-session on the Rural Broadcasting Project in the eastern states of Sudan

On 7 August 2017, the UNESCO Khartoum office organized an information session for national stakeholders about the project of “Promoting human development and civic virtues among the Sudanese rural communities: Supporting the rural radio broadcasting in the Eastern States” in Assaha Hotel in Khartoum. This project is a joint cooperation between UNESCO, the Ministry of Information, Sudanese Radio and TV Corporation, National Commission for Education, Science and Culture, Italian Embassy and Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation who funds the project.

 The info-session was honored by H.E. Mr. Bashir Hamad, the Minister of Information of the Gedaref state, H.E. Mr. Abdallah Adam, the Minister of Information of the Kassala state, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Babiker Bireima, the Minister of Information of the Red Sea state, Mr. Elzubair Osman, the General Director of the Sudanese Radio and TV Corporation, Mr. Attif Bashir, the General Director of Gedaref state Radio,  Mr. Hatim Suliman, the General Director of Gedaref state TV, Mr. Abdallah Mustafa, the General Director of Red sea state Radio, Mr. Hayder Osman, the General Director of Kassala state Radio, H.E. Dr. Pavel Kroupkine, UNESCO Representative to Sudan, Dr. Abdulgadir Noureddin, the Secretary General of National Commission of UNESCO, Ms. Sumaya Elhadi, the representative of the Federal Ministry of Information, and Mr. Jacopo Branchesi, the representative of the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation.  

 Dr. Aiman Badri, the UNESCO Khartoum office, presented to audience the project concept, scope, objectives, plan and management team. The main deliverables of the project are:

• Capacity building for teams in eastern states ensuring rural broadcasting
• Equipment upgrade
•  Enriching messages for rural broadcasting – including in local languages
• Advocating / promoting rural broadcasting, creating new listening groups in rural communities
• Assessing receptiveness of rural communities to owning small local radio stations.

 Then, after a short Q&A session, all three ministers expressed their support to the project, and their appreciation to the efforts of UNESCO and the Italian Government in developing the media sector of Sudan.