Dakar, June 27 (APS) – The overall distributions returning to the rights holders of the Senegalese Society for Copyright and Neighboring Rights (SODAV) have seen a slight decrease of 5.98% compared to 2022, indicated, Thursday, its managing director, Aly Bathily.
“The overall distributions in 2023 are 578 million 116 thousand 418 FCFA, and experienced a slight decrease of 5.98% compared to 2022 which recorded an amount of 614 million 896 thousand 033 FCFA,” he declared during of the ordinary annual general meeting of SODAV.
Mr. Bathily presented SODAV’s 2023 annual report, in the presence of the Secretary of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Heritage, Bakary Sarr.
He noted several aspects contained in this report, in particular the distributions, charges, State subsidy, social action fund, etc.
According to him, compared to the 2022 financial year for example, SODAV’s expenses also saw a slight decrease of 3.46%, or 515 million, 460,807 FCFA in 2023, against 533 million, 302,720 FCFA.
The amount of user receivables for the 2023 financial year amounts to 499 million 310,018 FCFA compared to 499 million 310,018 FCFA in 2022, a decrease of 54.5%.
Regarding the debts of members and staff, he noted that they amount to 302 million 980 155 FCFA, of which 271 million 104 949 FCFA by members and 31 million 875 206 FCFA by staff.
“We note a decrease of 18.8% in 2023,” he specified.
He noted that during the years 2021 and 2022, the management fee rates were zero thanks to the considerable support of the grant.
“In 2023, however, the increase in the rate is justified firstly by the irregularity and the low amount received under the state subsidy and the ineffectiveness of the Remuneration for private copying, which prevents the autonomy of SODAV”, he explained.
However, he noted some constraints encountered during the 2023 financial year, in particular the understaffing of SODAV staff, the lack of adequate resources, the low rate applied in the collection of fair remuneration, among others.
He cited some objectives to be achieved during this year, in particular, the urgent implementation of remuneration for private copying.
SODAV also provides for the implementation of the right of reproduction by reprography through agreements and contracts with users, the launch of the integrated management platform, etc.
This general meeting was also an opportunity to renew a third of the members of the Board of Directors, with the exception of the music production group and the audiovisual and choreographer group, which did not have candidates; the other seats to be filled were awarded.
Here is the list of new members of the Board of Directors:
Music author: Ousmane Guissé
Music performer: Macoumba Diaw
Audiovisual author: Mariétou Kane
Audiovisual interpreter: Rokhaya Niang
Visual art author: Adama Boye
Playwright: Babacar Diop
Literary author: Sokhna Benga
Editorial author: Idrissa Sow
Performer and choreographer: Mouhamed Ambroise Gomis.
AMN/FKS/ASB/OI
 – Senegalese Press Agency){kind=link}