Although the phenomenon of disinformation is increasingly worrying, many countries have not yet implemented adequate measures. The meeting to be held on October 9 and 10 in Accra will bring together African organizations engaged in the verification of the facts, in order to explore new avenues of action to fight against this scourge.
An international summit for an Africa free of disinformation
What concrete impacts, the summit on disinformation, which will be held in Accra, in Ghana, on October 9 and 10, 2024 , will he bring on the ground? This crucial question fuels discussions at the heart of this international meeting, the central axis of which is the fight against this scourge. Journalists, public actors and influential personalities of the political and digital worlds will meet to define a new approach to information on social networks, far from any manipulation and other distortion of the news.
The disinformation has so far seriously affected African democracies, weakened electoral processes, orchestrated divisions and exacerbated social crises by relying on unfounded and erroneous statements. Today, an awareness is essential: this hemorrhage must be stopped.
Concrete initiatives to strengthen digital culture and the verification of the facts
Africa Check , in collaboration with its partners, takes the initiative of this summit by proposing a rigorous programming of activities. This includes round tables, workshops and presentations focused on the challenges and opportunities for collaboration to combat disinformation in Africa. The themes chosen, on the other hand, marry the vision of a concerted and synergistic action against this evil. Among these are the improvement of digital culture, the progress of the efforts to verify facts, the partnership with technological platforms to reduce the dissemination of false news and the promotion of media education to the public. An ambitious program which, in the press release published by the organizers of the summit, led Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed , member of the Board of Directors of Factspace West Africa and deputy professor at the Cornell University of the University, to declare:
"In an increasingly digital world where citizens have the possibility of creating content, information has become an incredibly powerful tool. The way information is created, used and shared can make or undo democratic processes. This summit will allow the main actors in verifying the facts to share their ideas and learn from each other ... "
Encourage and reward commitment to verification of facts
However, many countries are still slow to fully engage in this fight. This is particularly the case of Cameroon, which has been faced with the harmful effects of disinformation on its democracy in the last decade. In addition to the efforts made by governments to counter disinformation, various actors in civil society should be associated, both national and international, in order to strengthen the scope of this struggle. Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed also underlines that:
"... Such spaces are necessary because they support and maintain dynamic democracies through the continent by providing precise and timely information at key moments such as electoral periods".
It is in this perspective that part of the summit is dedicated to the recognition of the efforts to verify the facts, with prices awarded in the following categories:
Christian Essimi
