South Sudan’s media regulatory body has lifted the ban on foreign journalists to allow them operate in the country.
Alfred Taban, Head of Information, Steering Committee for National Dialogue, made the disclosure on Thursday in Juba during a meeting with diplomats and UN envoys.
He said that the leadership of South Sudan Media Authority (SSMA) had pledged to allow unhindered media coverage of the war-torn country.
He added that the authorities had agreed to relax restrictions placed on foreign journalists to allow them cover the ongoing national dialogue, the humanitarian crisis and issues of concern to the public.
Taban, who also heads the association for Media Development in South Sudan, said that the media authority had pledged to ease conditions for acquiring media accreditation permits.
“I took up the issue of banning foreign journalists from the country with the Media Authority and they promised me that the (ban) has been suspended.
“So now if somebody wants to come, there will be no question of the person being denied visa because that has been cleared.
“The South Sudan Media Authority recently said it had banned at least 20 foreign journalists from media coverage in the country for what it termed “unsubstantiated and unrealistic stories,” Taban said.
He said that the media regulatory body however did not name the journalists or media outlets affected by the ban.
The ban attracted condemnation from the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), the Foreign Correspondents Association of East Africa (FCAEA) and Reporters without Borders (RWB).
However, Elija Alier, Managing Director, SSMA denied imposing ban on foreign journalists entering South Sudan.
He said that the body would continue to ease entry and work permit for foreign media in the East African nation.
“We have never stopped foreign journalists from coming to South Sudan and they will continue coming.
“As media authority, we will continue giving them permits,” Alier said. (Xinhua/NAN)
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