Accra, Feb. 3, GNA - Former US President; Jimmy Carter, will lead the African Regional Conference on the Right of Access to Information in Accra from February 7- February 9 in Accra, under the auspices of the Carter Centre and its partners in Africa.

Only five African countries currently have a statutory right to information; some laws are being used repressively; others are not implemented, while many obstacles continue to hamper the passing and implementation of legislations including a failure of political leadership, a culture of secrecy, low public awareness and institutional barriers This was contained in a statement on the conference copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

It said: "We are bringing stakeholders together to consider the issues in a meaningful way and will come up with a concrete action plan to move forward the right of access to information in Africa," said Laura Neuman, Project Manager of the access to information initiative at the Carter Centre in Atlanta. The conference will convene more than 100 participants representing regional and international institutions, government, civil society, media, academia, and the private sector from at least 15 countries in Africa. A regional action plan with specific guidance for African nations will be developed and function as an addendum to the 2008 Atlanta Declaration and Plan of Action for the Advancement of the Right of Access to Information.