Anthony A. Newbold, president of The Bahamas Press Club 2014 has been appointed vice president of the 79-member African Caribbean and Pacific Press Clubs Federation at the federation’s second official meeting held earlier this month in Brussels.

“It was both humbling and thrilling at the same time to see that my contributions to the federation were noted and appreciated even in my absence,” said Mr. Newbold. “It demonstrates the high esteem in which The Bahamas Press Club is held in international media circles and the potential for even more benefits for members of the local media.”

Mr. Newbold was a founding member of the federation in October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, which was formed as an umbrella organization, to build a platform for ACP press clubs, international press centres and press associations to exchange information, collaborate on joint projects, share expertise and build an international platform for communication initiatives.

The 12-member executive council is comprised of press club heads from six regions: West Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Central Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands and his headed by Gaspard Safari, president of the Kigali Press Foundation.

At that meeting, the council members agreed on a logo and other foundational elements for the federation as well as established a relationship with the Media4Democracy group in the person of team leader, Susan Angle.

Since 2015, The ACP Secretariat has been working closely with the Brussels EU Press Club to advance this project.

The Brussels EU Press Club is currently in discussion with relevant officials on the anticipated bid by Rwanda to host the general assembly of the International Association of Press Clubs later this year, which will be the first for the African continent and the ACP as a whole.