The Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC), Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, has announced substantial progress in Sierra Leone’s preparations to host the 2026 International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) and the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) Conference, assuring African information regulators that the country is on course to successfully stage the landmark global event in Freetown this September.
Speaking during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the African Network of Information Commissioners (ANIC) in Rabat, Morocco, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw presented a comprehensive update on the work of the Local Organizing Committee and encouraged prospective delegates from around the world to begin making travel and registration arrangements well ahead of the conference.
Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw directed delegates to the official conference website, www.icic-iduai2026.org, where participants can obtain detailed information on registration procedures, conference themes, accommodation options, travel arrangements, logistics and the various programme clusters prepared for the international gathering.
Emphasizing the importance of early registration, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw said delegates who register in advance will benefit from specially negotiated promotional rates at partner hotels while enabling organizers to make adequate logistical preparations for participants expected from across the globe.
On travel arrangements, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw informed delegates that Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has assured the Right to Access Information Commission that participants from countries requiring entry visas will be granted Visa-on-Arrival facilities. He noted that the arrangement is intended to ensure a smooth, efficient and hassle-free entry process for all conference participants.
As host of the joint ICIC-IDUAI Conference, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw said Sierra Leone is committed to promoting stronger African participation throughout the conference programme. He explained that deliberate efforts are being made to increase African representation in plenary sessions and technical discussions to ensure that the continent’s experiences, innovations and challenges in access to information and data governance receive greater prominence during global deliberations.
During the meeting, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw also participated as a panelist in a high-level discussion on “Combating Disinformation and Strengthening Trust in Public Information Ecosystems,” where he shared Sierra Leone’s experience in promoting transparency, accountability and citizens’ right of access to information.
Drawing on Sierra Leone’s progress, Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw highlighted the steady improvement in compliance among public authorities under the country’s Right to Access Information framework. He noted that an increasing number of public institutions are responding to requests for information and embracing transparency as an essential pillar of democratic governance and public accountability.
Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw further disclosed that work is progressing on proposed amendments to the Right to Access Information Act of 2013 to strengthen its implementation and align it with evolving international standards. He revealed that the proposed amendments are being developed alongside Sierra Leone’s Data Protection legislation, which is expected to enter the pre-legislative stage before Parliament in the near future.
According to Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, the two legislative reforms will establish a stronger legal framework that balances the public’s constitutional right to information with the protection of personal data, while enhancing public trust in state institutions and strengthening democratic accountability.
Held under the theme, “Public Information as a Development Asset: Rights, Governance and Digital Transformation,” the two-day Annual General Meeting brought together information commissioners and regulators from across Africa to review progress in advancing access to information, identify emerging challenges and develop common strategies for strengthening transparency and good governance across the continent.
Welcoming delegates to Morocco, President of Morocco’s Commission for the Right of Access to Information, Omar Seghrouchni, expressed his country’s pleasure in hosting fellow information commissioners and conveyed confidence that the discussions would produce meaningful outcomes for advancing access to information throughout Africa.
Delivering the opening address, Chairperson of the African Network of Information Commissioners, Pansy Tlakula, reflected on the remarkable growth of the network since its establishment seven years ago following an International Conference of Information Commissioners hosted in South Africa.
Pansy Tlakula said the African Network of Information Commissioners now comprises more than 30 members and continues to serve as an important platform for peer learning, knowledge sharing and institutional collaboration among information regulators across the continent. She noted that the network’s principal objective is to promote the exchange of experiences and the development of common approaches to advancing the right of access to information.
Describing access to information as a fundamental human right, Pansy Tlakula said it underpins many other rights, including health, education, political participation, good governance and socio-economic development.
Pansy Tlakula also highlighted several challenges confronting access to information in the digital era, including the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation, the misuse of data protection laws in certain jurisdictions to deny legitimate requests for public information, and inadequate financial support for oversight institutions.
Calling for a balanced legal and policy approach, Pansy Tlakula stressed that access to information and data protection should complement each other rather than compete, arguing that democratic governance is best served when both transparency and privacy are effectively safeguarded.
One of the major outcomes of the Annual General Meeting was the admission of The Gambia as a new member of the African Network of Information Commissioners after delegates concluded that the country had satisfied the organization’s membership requirements, particularly regarding institutional independence and security of tenure for information commissioners.
Meanwhile, the membership application submitted by Zambia was deferred pending further clarification on issues relating to the independence of its information oversight body. Zambia was not represented at the meeting.
The Annual General Meeting also resolved that Ghana will host the next meeting of the African Network of Information Commissioners, reflecting the confidence of member states in the country’s continued commitment to advancing access to information, transparency and democratic governance. The next gathering is expected to build on the resolutions adopted in Rabat while further strengthening cooperation, institutional collaboration and peer learning among information regulators across Africa.
The meeting brought together representatives from ten member countries, including Ghana, Malawi, South Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Morocco, reaffirming the continent’s growing commitment to strengthening access to information as a cornerstone of democratic governance, accountability and sustainable development.
