international human rights instruments and standards, including the jurisprudence of African judicial bodies. Preparation of this Declaration was led by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of expression and Access to Information in Africa, who worked closely with stakeholders from State and non-State actors to generate the concept for and to prepare the Declaration. Drafting was spearheaded by a Technical Drafting Team constituted by a team of 15 individuals drawn to cover relevant Article 9 themes as well as various legal traditions on the continent. Technical meetings were held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 22 April 2018; Mombasa, Kenya, from 11 to 12 October 2018, and again from 28 to 29 March 2019; and Pretoria, South Africa, from 30 September to 01 October 2019. Consultations to validate the Declaration were launched at a panel discussion on the Declaration held on 29 April 2019 at the 64th Ordinary Session of the African Commission, in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt. During May and June 2019, State and non-State actors were invited through a public call to provide feedback; and a similar specific call was sent to each State Party to the African Charter. Validation workshops were also held covering State and non-State representatives in Maputo, Mozambique, from 11 to 12 July 2019; Windhoek, Namibia, from 19 to 20 September 2019; and Banjul, The Gambia, from 18 to 19 October 2019. Part I of this Declaration establishes the general principles which apply to the whole Declaration. Part II sets out principles on freedom of expression, while Part III sets out principles on access to information. Part IV addresses freedom of expression and access to information on the internet. Part V establishes principles on the Declaration’s implementation. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank all State and non-State stakeholders who participated in the preparation of this Declaration by making contributions to the approach and content of the Declaration. He also thanks all those who provided technical or financial support to the process, including the Technical Drafting Team. The Special Rapporteur trusts that this Declaration will anchor