Mail and Guardian editor, Ferial Haffajee, has been appointed as the chairperson of the Inter Press Service Africa board at the annual IPS Africa board meeting in Johannesburg.

Inter Press Service (IPS), the world’s leading alternative international information provider, was established in 1964. The organisation is registered as an international non-governmental organisation and enjoys Consultative Status Category I at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as well as eligible INGO status with the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD.

In Africa, IPS is registered as a not-for-profit Section 21 company in South Africa with its headquarters in Johannesburg. It has bureaus in Kenya and Benin.

IPS Africa board members include IPS director general Mario Lubetkin; former IPS Africa director and media and communications expert Farai Samhungu; IPS Africa regional director Paula Fray; Polytechnic of Namibia’s Head of Media Technology, Emily Brown; media expert Govin Reddy; editor Ferial Haffajee and West African Newsmedia and Development centre (WANAD) secretary general Prof Alfred Opubor.

Haffajee, a former IPS correspondent, said IPS Africa had always been close to her heart: “IPS Africa teaches a method and purpose in journalism which gets lost in the converged, celebrity-crazy, profit-driven world we inhabit. And that method is simple: it is to never forget that it is those who live in the poorest corners of our globe without the basic necessities of shelter, water, power that should always be at the epicentre of our craft.”

In 2007, IPS Africa provided stories from more than 40 African countries. Its projects include the Southern Africa Water Wire and From Polls to Polls – a project to strengthen the voice and visibility of women in elections across the continent.

In a bid to strengthen human and organisational capacity, IPS Africa plans to seek additional partners to grow its targeted coverage of development issues on the continent as well as continue capacity building of reporters.

“Under Paula Fray’s hand, I am convinced that IPS Africa will become a leading source of news across our continent. Excellent journalism has been integral to the growth of democracy on our continent and it will be an umbilical twin of development too. The board wishes Paula every success and every support,” said Haffajee.

Former Saturday Star editor and media trainer Paula Fray was appointed IPS Regional Director in January.

For more information, contact Paula Fray at pfray@ips.org or call 011 325 2671. One can also visit the IPS website at www.ips.org.