Ghani Re-launches Journalists Support Fund, Donates 5M AFN from His Own Money

President Ashraf Ghani re-launched Journalists Support Fund on Tuesday in a bid to help journalists financially. 

At the opening ceremony held in Presidential Palace, Ghani announced that he will donate five million Afghanis from his personnel account to the fund. He, meanwhile, asked the Ministry of Finance to allocate 10 million Afghanis from government budget to the fund annually.

The Fund will be administered by an 11- member committee comprised of 10 journalists – representing journalists’ organizations – and one member from Ministry of Information and Culture.

“We are committed to protect freedom of speech from any deterrence,” Ghani said. “The government and media are both accountable to the nation, therefore we intend to partner with media, not confront it.”

The president urged media outlets to exercise due “diligence” to avoid spreading false information and instructed all government authorities to “strictly” comply by Access to Information Law.

He also called on media organizations to protect the rights of journalists and provide them with “life insurance policies” for financial security.

Upcoming Elections

President Ghani said that the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections are a “major constitutional obligation”, and that the government is committed to upholding it.

He also said election debates should transform into a platform addressing economic challenges facing the nation.

Pointing towards the reconciliation process, the president reasserted that peace process will be “inclusive and consensual” of all ethnicities and demographics.