The Regional Media Forum “Fuelling Hunger in the Middle East: Biofuel Subsidies Drive Food-Price Inflation”, was held in Alexandria, Egypt, on 17-19 April, jointly organized by the Global Subsidies Initiative, the Library of Alexandria, and IPS - Inter Press Service. The purpose of the Middle East Media Forum was to bring journalists and experts together to analyze and discuss the links between subsidies and sustainable development.

With the focus on the rising cost of food, which has led to mass protests in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Read more »

Inter Press Service Africa has announced the appointment of a new regional editor to manage the continent’s editorial services within the global development news agency.

Terna Gyuse, who has extensive experience as a radio producer and trainer, replaces outgoing regional editor Jacklynne Hobbs. Gyuse will oversee freelancers in over 50 African countries as well as bureaus in Nairobi, Kenya and Cotonou, Benin. Read more »

It was review and feedback time for the 38 Mekong journalist- fellows, who met in late March at a workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to present their stories, documentaries and photo essays on various cross-border issues about the Mekong region, which has been undergoing rapid economic integration over the last 15 years.

The Mar. 31-Apr 3, 2008 workshop was organised by IPS Asia-Pacific and Probe Media Foundation Inc, partners in the annual Imaging Our Mekong media fellowships that have been held since 2002. Read more »

Following is the message of the Executive Committee to Association members upon the end of its term.

Dear friends,

These seem to be times of “shareholders” yet maybe even more so times of people who share. In fact, a key reality of our time is that we have to share ever more our present challenges and our common future. In this context the sharing of visions, of values and of commitments is ever more essential. Read more »

The Regional Media Forum “Subsidizing the biofuels boom: What consequences for Latin America?”, held on 27 - 28 March, 2008, at the Incae Campus, Alajuela, Costa Rica, was jointly organised by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI), the INCAE Business School, and IPS Inter Press Service Latin America news agency, as part of an ongoing series of GSI regional media forums designed to lead journalists around the world towards a better understanding of the decisive role that subsidies play in key emerging challenges that face policy makers striving for a more sustainable world. Read more »