ASEAN Information Ministers adopt Da Nang Declaration on Media

The ASEAN Information Ministers Meeting held in Da Nang adopted the Da Nang Declaration affirming the key role of the media in contributing to the goal of equipping citizens with knowledge, which is the driving force to promote a resilient and adaptive ASEAN community.

ASEAN Information Ministers adopt the Da Nang Declaration on Media. Photo: Thuy Trang

Affirming the key role of communication

On September 23, on behalf of the ASEAN Ministers in charge of Information, as the Chair of the Conference, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Lam announced the main results of the 16th ASEAN Ministers on Information Meeting (AMRI) and the 7th ASEAN+3 Ministers on Information Meeting (AMRI+3).

The 16th AMRI Conference was hosted by Vietnam in Da Nang City from September 22 to 23, 2023. The main theme of AMRI 16 is “Communication: From information to knowledge for a resilient and adaptive ASEAN”.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Lam announced the approved contents after the conference. Photo: Thuy Trang

Through the conference, ASEAN Information Ministers affirmed and positioned the role of the information industry in the new period from "information" to "knowledge". Information will become an active means for lifelong learning, raising awareness and digital literacy for ASEAN citizens.

The ASEAN Information Ministers adopted the AMRI Vision Statement “ASEAN 2035: Towards a Transformative, Responsive, and Resilient Information and Communications Industry” to promote the achievement of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and support the implementation of the respective plans across the three ASEAN pillars.

The Ministers emphasized addressing the challenges and leveraging the opportunities arising from rapid digital convergence and transformation beyond 2025, highlighting the transformative role of media in empowering individuals, communities and societies and moving from passive consumption of information towards active acquisition of knowledge, and encouraged ASEAN Member States to consider developing a master plan on digital transformation for journalism and media.

In particular, the conference adopted the Da Nang Declaration on "Media: From Information to Knowledge for a Resilient and Responsive ASEAN", which recognized the key role of media in contributing to the goal of an informed citizenry, promoting knowledge acquisition as a driving force to promote a resilient and adaptive ASEAN community, and promoting ASEAN identity to bring society together and deepen the sense of being part of the region to act in the face of the changing media landscape due to digital transformation.

Active cooperation in responding to and handling fake news

In addition, at the conference, ASEAN Information Ministers also approved the action plan of the ASEAN Task Force on Fake News (PoA of TFFN).

This is part of the information industry's ongoing efforts to institutionalize regional mechanisms to address the rise of asymmetric threats including fake news, disinformation, hate speech, extremist views and extremism.

In addition, the conference also unanimously adopted guidelines for government information management in combating fake news and disinformation in the media. The guidelines aim to build a framework on how governments can respond to false or misleading information being disseminated in the media or on social media platforms.

The ASEAN Information Ministers agreed to establish standards and good practices for government information officers; enhance accuracy and reliability, improve transparency and accountability in government communications; improve coordination among government agencies, especially during times of crisis or emergency; and to ensure that government information is transparent and accountable.

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