Sharma assures help to revive CMDF
Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma said yesterday that he would use his good offices to revive the suspended Commonwealth Media Development Fund (CMDF).
The assurance came when a delegation of the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) led by its newly-elected international President Hassan Shahriar met the Commonwealth secretary general at his hotel suite in the city.
Shahriar urged Sharma to persuade the Commonwealth leaders to reconsider the suspension and resume their contribution to the CMDF.
He handed to the secretary general a copy of the communique adopted at the CJA's 8th conference in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, Malaysia last week.
The CJA president also briefed Sharma about the outcome of the conference that dealt with many issues, including climate change and the role of the media.
The CJA communique deplored the lack of funding commitment on the part of Commonwealth countries that has led to the effective suspension of the CMDF, set up by the Heads of Government to enhance Commonwealth-wide journalistic excellence.
Sharma, who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh, agreed with the CJA president that suspension of the CMDF would jeopardise CJA's programme to train young journalists in developing countries.
“We'll need to find a solution,” Sharma said. “Member countries can support such programmes.”
Also present at the meeting were Farid Hossain, CJA Bangladesh branch president and a member of the central executive committee, and CJA, Bangladesh member Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, said a press release.
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