Joint meetings between journalists and government spokespersons have been organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the UNAMA office in the western and eastern regions of the country.

The purpose of these meetings is to facilitate access to information and enhance coordination between journalists and government spokespersons, according to the statement.

Tomoko Kubota, head of UNAMA in the western region, said: “The public has the right to hear what's happening in the government and in different areas, so the media has its responsibility to report what’s happening in the government, and the de facto government also has the responsibility to share what’s happening, so I hope today's session will help enhance the mutual understanding.” 

Shameel Ahmad Mashal, head of the Committee for the Support and Oversight of Journalists and Media in Herat, said: "The aim of this initiative is to facilitate better and easier access for journalists to government information, which will undoubtedly have an impact. We have always emphasized the need for easy access to information for journalists in our meetings."

Officials from Herat and Nangarhar provinces pledged their commitment to providing information to journalists and supporting the media.

The deputy minister of information and culture for publications, Hayatullah Muhajir Farahi, said: "The Office of Access to Information is active in Kabul, and in the coming days, spokespersons and media officials will hold meetings in all zones."

Abdul Haq Hemad, head of the Copyright Department of the Ministry of Information and Culture, said: "We should not adopt a policy of opposing the system on every matter; rather, we should stand side by side with them to resolve challenges."

Some journalists in Herat and Nangarhar said that access to information and cooperation from government institutions with the media has improved compared to the past.

They believe that holding such meetings will strengthen the atmosphere of trust between the government and the media.

"This will create a platform where any incident or event that occurs can be made accessible to journalists by the spokesperson of the government agency," said Rohullah Danish, a journalist in Herat.

"Providing information within a healthy framework that informs society about real and fundamental issues is essential because the activities of this media can prevent media outlets based on rumors from gaining influence," said Shah Mahmood Shinwari, a journalist in Nangarhar.

The endorsement of the Public Media Law and the Law on the Right to Access Information are among the demands of journalists in the country.

The Ministry of Information and Culture pledged that with the implementation of these laws, journalism and media activities in the country will be regulated.