Africa-Press – Angola. The Head of Cooperation of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Angola, Mateja Peterneli, acknowledged this Wednesday, in Luanda, the progress made by the country in the field of press freedom.
The diplomat, speaking at the 2nd National Conference on Press Freedom and Access to Information in Angola, highlighted the continuous improvement in Angola’s ranking in the Reporters Without Borders world index.
Mateja Peterneli stated that Angola currently occupies the 100th position among 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders world index for 2025, compared to the 123rd position recorded in 2015, an evolution that she considered real progress, although some challenges still persist.
Among the challenges, she pointed to the working conditions of journalists, access to sources of information, editorial independence, self-censorship, and media pluralism. She emphasized that press freedom flourishes when there is responsibility, defending rigor, impartiality, and ethics as indispensable pillars of journalistic practice and the strengthening of citizenship.
She further stressed that a free press informs, educates, and brings institutions closer to citizens, contributing to good governance, transparency, and the defense of human rights.
She acknowledged, however, that the path requires courage, tolerance, and a firm commitment to dialogue between the State, managers, media owners, journalists, and the public.
The diplomat stated that the European Union (EU) has been monitoring the sector’s evolution for many years, underlining that this initiative, about to complete three years, aims to strengthen the role of media outlets and their professionals in respecting, promoting, and guaranteeing human rights.
Mateja Peterneli explained that the project operates in all provinces, with direct intervention in five regional bases (Luanda, Benguela, Cabinda, Namibe, and Lunda-Sul), allowing for greater proximity to local realities and strengthening the technical skills of journalists.
According to Peterneli, the objective also involves improving the public image of the profession and making the journalists union’s actions more effective, especially in matters related to the political and legal environment of the profession.
She highlighted that the EU finances the project through a specific instrument aimed at promoting human rights and supporting civil society, reinforced by ongoing political dialogue.
He emphasized that all fundamental rights—civil, political, economic, social, and cultural—are indispensable to human dignity, and that freedom of expression plays a central role in this framework.
Mateja Peterneli reiterated the EU’s pride and motivation to continue supporting initiatives that promote access to information and press freedom, underlining the practical impact of the discussions provided by the conference.
Angola rose four positions in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, moving from 104th to 100th place among 180 countries, according to the annual report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The document states that, in Africa, press freedom is facing worrying declines, with 80% of countries registering falls in economic indicators.
The worst-ranked countries on the continent include Uganda (143rd), Ethiopia (145th), Rwanda (146th), and Eritrea (180th), while South Africa (27th), Namibia (28th), and Cape Verde (30th) lead the list.
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