N'djamena — ECA www.uneca.org/sro-ca) - Chad's National Radio and Television network (ONRTV), has pledged to accompany the Subregional Office for central Africa of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in leveraging the country's industrialization and economic diversification agenda. This understanding was reached at the headquarters of ONRTV today in N'Djamena, just after the formal launch of the process to formulate the Industrialization and Economic Diversification Masterplan (PDIDE, in French) of the Republic of Chad, with the technical support of the ECA's office in Central Africa.
In a working session at the Chadian state broadcast house, the Director of ECA's Subregional office for Central Africa - Mr Antonio Pedro told the Director General of ONRTV Mr Boukar Sanda that the Chadian media led by his organization would be indispensable vectors for creating understanding around and managing expectations of citizens with regard to the Masterplan being hatched.
"The media in Chad, in general, and your organization as a public broadcaster in particular, are key stakeholders in this process, which requires ample coordination by the State," Mr Pedro told his host.
"We have at least six months to conclude the process of elaborating the industrialization and economic diversification Masterplan, but translating it into concrete action will take time, hence need for ONRTV and other media outfits to work with the joint technical teams of both the ECA and the Government of Chad in a citizen education drive to unpack the complexities of the process, and emphasize the sectors of strength and choice for stakeholders," said the ECA senior official.
Mr. Pedro said implementing the Masterplan is a joint responsibility of Government, the private sector, civil society, citizens and development partners alike and that the media ha the responsibility to mobilize people into contributing to this noble cause, which is critical to extricating Chad from its dependence on oil that has plunged the country into economic troubles.
Meanwhile, the Director General of ONRTV concurred that it was indeed the shared responsibility of the media to promote an understanding of and accompany the Chadian Government, ECA and all other stakeholders to see the Masterplan take both root and effect for the development of Chad. He urged ECA's communication service to close ranks with his network's media practitioners for continuous flow of information, in this regard.
Experts of ECA's Subregional Office for Central Africa and the Government of Chad, led by the country's Ministry of Economy and Development Planning started working on the broad aspects of the economic diversification strategy of the country, six months ago and agreed to hinge it on the development of agribusiness; the expansion of the livestock sector with a focus on leather and meat production; and the smooth entry of the country into the knowledge economy. They are now at the full elaboration phase, for which the media is called upon to follow and create further understanding around its dynamics and what it means for the country's sustainable development.
