Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has called for stronger international cooperation to expand access to reliable information and strengthen information governance. He made the call while officially opening the 17th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) alongside UNESCO's global commemoration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) in Sierra Leone. The conference aims to address information disorder and promote access to information.
The three-day conference, held at the Julius Maada Bio International Conference Centre in Lungi, is being hosted by Sierra Leone's Right to Access Information Commission in collaboration with UNESCO. Its theme is "Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder." Jalloh welcomed participants and described the gathering as timely amid rapid digital transformation and growing citizen participation in public affairs.
Jalloh highlighted Sierra Leone's Right to Access Information Act of 2013, which established the Right to Access Information Commission, as a key step in creating a formal framework for citizens to obtain public information. He also pointed to data protection legislation as part of the country's wider effort to regulate and protect information. The vice president identified citizens' ability to obtain public information as one measure of democratic development.
The vice president said access to information allows citizens to examine government performance, participate in policy discussions, and hold public officials accountable. He also linked greater access to stronger public institutions and public trust. Jalloh cited the 2020 repeal of criminal libel provisions in the Public Order Act as another milestone in Sierra Leone's efforts to reform its information and democratic environment.
Jalloh noted that the rapid development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence has expanded opportunities for information access while creating new challenges for governments and citizens. He identified limited internet connectivity, particularly in rural communities, literacy barriers, and institutional practices affecting the release of public information among the challenges that require continued attention.
The conference itself is centered on the relationship between access to information and information disorder, with organizers describing credible and accurate public information as an important tool for addressing misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. Jalloh also connected information governance to broader economic pressures confronting developing countries, including climate change, debt, international crises, and rising energy and commodity costs.
Jalloh urged participants to use the gathering to identify practical measures for expanding access to reliable information, protecting information integrity, and strengthening democratic institutions while accounting for the institutional and economic realities of developing countries. The conference continues in Lungi through September 30, with sessions examining issues including credible public data, information disorder in Africa, access to information among women and young people, data protection, and beneficial ownership transparency.
Key points
- Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh calls for global cooperation to expand access to reliable information and strengthen information governance.
- The 17th ICIC conference aims to address information disorder and promote access to information.
- Sierra Leone's Right to Access Information Act of 2013 established a formal framework for citizens to obtain public information.
