The International Publishers Association(IPA) on Thursday in Nairobi signed a Memoranda of Understanding with the African Publishers Network and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa to formalise the IPA’s commitment to the region.
The MoU comes ahead of a two-day seminar that will kick off in Nairobi on Friday and will bring together 40 African publishers associations.
The agreement confirmed the three organisations’ commitment to strengthening the IPA’s Regional Seminars further as well as developing campaigns around education and literacy.
“In recent years IPA has stepped up its commitment to our African members. Today’s historic agreements with our Associate Member, APNET and ADEA, show that we are committed to walking the walk and not just talking the talk,” said IPA President, Hugo Setzer.
“All the right ingredients are present in so many African nations for thriving publishing industries that will drive education and share the diversity of cultures this wonderful continent has to offer. IPA will continue to support African publishers as they realise that potential,” he added.
The Chairman of the African Publishers Network, Samuel Kolawole, said the signing of a the MoU between APNET and IPA is a historic and important event.
It signified the intention of IPA to engage African publishers on the level of mutual respect, he noted.
IPA is the world’s largest federation of publishers’ associations with 81 members in 69 countries.
JK/abj/APA