-As Publishers Seek Stronger Ties
RABAT, Morocco – Moroccan media and training institutions have pledged technical support, printing assistance, and scholarships to the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL), marking a major potential boost for Liberia’s struggling media landscape.
The President of PAL and Mohamed Kanneh, Publisher of the Heritage Newspaper, held a series of meetings with Moroccan media groups last week. The discussions yielded concrete offers of collaboration, including scholarships for young Liberian journalists — a first for a country that has sent no students to a prominent Moroccan journalism institute in over fifty years.
During a meeting with the president of the Moroccan Press Association, the head of the entity confirmed his team’s readiness to help. “With the request you have made to us, we are glad to look into them and will provide some of your needs,” said Mr. Abdelhabim EL Morabit, Director for External Affairs, interpreting his boss’s remarks. “We in Morocco are always willing to help our African brothers.”
Mr. Mohammed Haitami, president of Le Matin — Morocco’s largest printing company — said his group has decided to work closely with the Liberian media due to the level of cooperation PAL seeks to establish.
The Institute of Information and Communication, a Moroccan institution that trains young journalists from various countries, has also expressed willingness to provide scholarships for several media personnel, especially young journalists seeking advanced studies.
“You have had students from several countries in Africa and outside the continent. There is no Liberian. We would like to see some young Liberian journalists come and get the water of extra knowledge from Morocco, so that they can become ambassadors for you tomorrow in the next academic year,” Toweh said.
Mr. Mohssine Benzakour, Director of Student Affairs at the Institute, responded positively: “Yes, this is something we would like to do.” The PAL team later interacted with students from other African countries at the institute.
The body that regulates audiovisual content in Morocco has also expressed willingness to assist the Liberia Media Council. Its engineers developed Africa’s first software to monitor audiovisual and radio content, including airtime allocation. Due to its accuracy, several European nations now use the software.
“We will be glad to help Liberia with this. We have 14 countries using this software today, and we will be glad to include Liberia when you make the request,” said Madam Latifa Akharbach, President of Content Management at the Institute for Audio Visual Communication of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Toweh responded: “PAL can assure you that we will make the request officially in the shortest possible time. But please consider our discussion today as a verbal request to pave the way in the coming days. We will elevate it into a formal communication to your office.”
PAL has expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the Kingdom of Morocco through its embassy near Monrovia for providing the opportunity. At the same time, PAL appealed to other friendly countries to work closely with the Liberian media in strengthening its skills so the press can play its proper role in Liberian society.
