7.0. Recommendations 7.1. Immediate publication and enactment of the ATI Bill: Government must immediately publish the current version of the Access to Information Bill and give clear direction on its commitment towards the presentation of the Bill to Parliament. This is to avoid repeating promises and excuses presented by previous regimes, including that of consultation (which has been done adequately over the twenty years of the Bill’s existence). Access to Information legislation is a priority and will strengthen the New Dawn regime’s fight against corruption which thrives in an environment of secrecy. Enactment of the ATI Bill will thus show the UPND administration’s commitment towards enhancing citizen participation, transparency and the fight against corruption. 7.2. Temporary withdrawal of the Media Regulation Bill: government must halt the enactment of the ZAMEC Bill to allow for full consensus from media and stakeholders to ensure that the final product is owned and represents the aspirations of the profession. Any media regulation to be developed must not make the practice of journalism a crime by including jail terms and including hefty financial penalties that could cripple media freedom which self-regulation seeks to protect. 7.3. Economic incentives for the media sector: There is need for economic incentives for the media sector which suffered major setbacks at the height of the COVID pandemic as elucidated in the 2020-2021 State of the Media Reports. The effects of the pandemic and the resultant slump in business continue to give a bleak forecast for the media while the few positive gains in the economic variables have not necessarily trickled down to the media. Some of the economic incentives could include empowerment packages for media practitioners and struggling media houses and tax/non-tax incentives and rebates. 37