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His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, today inaugurated the fourth International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2015) in the presence of guest of honour General Michel Sleiman, former President of the Republic of Lebanon (2008-2014).
In his opening speech, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, said: “Public communication, particularly those represented by live radio and television programmes where people call in with their concerns on important social issues, are crucial for the exchange of information and messages between the government and the people. Such initiatives help the public to better understand the aspirations of the government. They are also vital in engaging citizens and society and introducing government policies, legislations and services to the public.”
The Ruler observed that such programmes have led to an improvement in the dialogue between citizens and officials and also resulted in changing social behaviour.
During his speech at the forum, His Highness said: “Public programmes are an important tool to engage stakeholders including citizens, civil society, and the media in the nation-building process.”
He added that such communication activates the process of democracy through informing the people about government policies and triggering a healthy debate on their effectiveness. They also consequently help drive government policy and shape public opinion.
His Highness stressed on the importance of internal communication and follow up to ensure smooth progress of operations and processes in all government departments. In addition, the role of external communication in engaging citizens, consolidating a spirit of national responsibility and supporting national initiatives at all levels and in all domains was also highlighted.
In his keynote address, General Michel Sleiman, 12th President of the Republic of Lebanon, said: "The development in the areas of information and communication technologies has effectively impacted the lifestyle, mind-set and values of people. Today, direct and indirect media have penetrated the minds of men, homes, offices, factories, barracks and trenches. The public can now hear and see officials addressing them directly, eliminating the role of the mediator."
He added: "If a government is to convince the public of its goals, the public must prompt the government to hear its concerns and aspirations, and meet its growing demands. Despite the fact that the media is still a successful channel of persuasion, it only flows in a single direction, especially if the media lacks freedom and objectivity. Effective communication, on the other hand, is richer and more humane for it allows the exchange of thoughts, measures reaction, and encourages participation. Furthermore, communication today is no longer limited to public speaking and includes modern technologies and governance techniques as well."
Cautioning governments about their inadequate channels of communication, General Sleiman said leaders and governments that hesitate to communicate with the public will eventually create barriers and cause bureaucracy in administration and institutions. He further pointed out that for communication to be based on trust and efficiency, it must not only answer the needs of the public, but also be characterised by precision, transparency and objectivity. More importantly, it must be understandable, sustainable, comprehensive, and timely.
On the steps needed to ensure a better relationship between the government and the public, General Sleiman said: "We must spread the culture of communication between officials and the public and create the right environment for its dissemination in a way that is independent of any influences from legislative, executive and judicial authorities. We need to enact laws that protect communication from any political arrogance. We must fight strict media censorship, and not restrain the media with dictatorship. Last but not least, officials need to leave their ivory towers and get closer to the public."
The opening session of IGCF 2015 began with an address by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), who pointed out that the current economic and geopolitical developments, which have cast their shadow on the entire world, place greater responsibility on global and regional governments to explain their internal and external policies openly and transparently. He said the time when the type and sources of information were controlled by governments is long gone, and is now replaced by an era of interaction and dialogue in which the public has the ability to express its opinion about events in home countries and countries around the world.
His Excellency stressed that the speed of delivering information and influencing the public is creating a challenge for some governments due to their administrative nature. However, the emirate of Sharjah looks at this challenge as an opportunity to develop this aspect of government work, as effective government communication that is based on transparency and objectivity has become one of the main factors that characterise effective governance.
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