"The proceedings of an 'Indaba' on national book policies held immediately before the 1996 Zimbabwe International Book Fair, and which attracted participants and speakers from many parts of Africa and elsewhere, representing the whole spectrum of book sector interests. Conceived in collaboration with the Association for the Development of African Education Working Group on Books and Learning Materials, the 'Indaba' deliberated extensively on the desirability of effective instruments to promote the development of the African book industries. A national book policy “was recognized as constituting the basic framework within which the legitimate interests of all actors and stakeholders in book-related industries are recognized, and they are empowered to contribute towards the creation of a book reading democratic society." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 2032)