"The 8th Administration will work to ensure the safeguarding of press freedom in Namibia. The rights of media practitioners will always be protected in the execution of their duties."
This is the message from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, as Namibia and the rest of the world mark World Press Freedom Day today.
The day is observed annually on May 3rd to spotlight the importance of freedom of the press, further serving as a reminder for governments to uphold the right to freedom of expression.
These are enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948.
This year's theme is "Reporting in the Brave New World—The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media".
President Nandi-Ndaitwah said the media, as the fourth arm of government, are expected to report and perform duties responsibly and objectively and contribute to the country's development.
She emphasised that the press is expected to play a vital role in a digital era, owing to its continuous evolution and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.
"As has been the tradition over the past 35 years, policies of the Namibian government will continue to create an environment where media practitioners can operate freely without fear of censorship or persecution, while harnessing the new potential benefits of artificial intelligence responsibly," she said.
The President also lauded Namibia's consistent ranking among the countries with the highest levels of press freedom, saying this demonstrates the value the government places on the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression, including the media, as enshrined in Chapter 3 of the Namibian Constitution.
Namibia has been ranked number two in Africa on the 2025 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.
"On World Press Freedom Day, the government reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding press freedom through legislative measures, such as the Access to Information Act (Act 8 of 2022), which aims to empower citizens with access to information and to hold leaders accountable," Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed.
She further cautioned Namibian citizens, media professionals, and journalists in particular to refrain from spreading unverified information, saying it can undermine service delivery, freedom of the press, and democratic governance.
The President urged the media practitioners to uphold the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Namibian Print, Broadcast and Online Media by reporting and disseminating information based on facts and the public interest.