By: Mohamed Sahr
In an effort to safeguard democratic spaces, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), organized a training for journalists aimed at fostering information integrity and countering misinformation and disinformation.
The two-day training, held at the Atlantic Hotel from September 25th to 26th, 2025, focused on strengthening journalists’ capacity to uphold accuracy, accountability, and professionalism in the media. The training also emphasized the importance of counteracting the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation in the region.
His Excellency Ambassador John Azumah, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Sierra Leone highlighted the influential role of journalists in shaping societies. He stated that journalists possess the power to transform societal life by providing the public with accurate information. Ambassador Azumah emphasized that this training exemplifies the value of partnership, stating that ECOWAS, in collaboration with MFWA and GIZ’s Organizational Development Programme (funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ), is conducting a series of training sessions across ECOWAS member states. “After the success of similar sessions in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and The Gambia, we are now proud to extend this initiative to Sierra Leone,” he said.
The ambassador stressed that ECOWAS and its development partners are actively working to empower journalists with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to counter misinformation, promote responsible journalism, and uphold information integrity. He also reiterated ECOWAS’s commitment to fostering peace, stability, and democratic governance in the region.
Ambassador Azumah pointed out that while the media is a powerful institution that shapes perceptions and amplifies voices, the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation today poses significant challenges to society. “These challenges erode public trust, exacerbate conflicts, and undermine the democratic gains we have worked so hard to achieve,” he added.
He expressed his appreciation to His Excellency Brigadier (Rtd) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the government, and the people of Sierra Leone for their warm reception, as well as to GIZ and BMZ for their steadfast support of the program. He also thanked the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) for its technical expertise and commitment to strengthening media capacity.
Johnnes Behrens, Head of Cooperation at GIZ stressed the importance of reliable information, noting that objective information is essential for promoting peace and stability. He explained that the rise of social media has created new challenges, with the potential to distort facts and fuel false narratives. “Truthfulness is always the best policy,” he said, emphasizing the need for independent, pluralistic media that fosters peace and national cohesion.
Behrens further noted the responsibility of the media in providing real-time, accurate information. He warned that misinformation on social media can be particularly harmful, as it has the power to influence public opinion and spread falsehoods.
Kelvin Kelly, Technical Adviser at the ECOWAS National Office discussed the growing risks posed by the increasing accessibility of information, alongside the rise in its distortion, manipulation, and falsification. He pointed out that misinformation and disinformation not only undermine public trust but also threaten the peace, stability, and democratic governance of West Africa.
Kelly emphasized that journalists bear a significant responsibility in countering these challenges by ensuring they convey truthful information and guide the public toward reliable news sources. He encouraged participants to embrace the knowledge, skills, and tools offered during the training, highlighting that responsible journalism goes beyond just reporting events it also plays a crucial role in fostering peace, unity, and resilience within communities.
The training aimed to equip journalists with the necessary tools to identify misinformation and disinformation actors, understand their influence, and counter anti-democratic narratives. Journalists were also trained in fact-checking, open-source intelligence (OSINT), digital security, and innovative methods such as using artificial intelligence (AI) to track and analyze harmful narratives. Additionally, the program focused on strengthening conflict-sensitive reporting and promoting peace journalism practices.
Furthermore, the training sought to foster Media and Information Literacy (MIL) strategies to empower audiences, as well as build lasting networks of collaboration between ECOWAS, national media institutions, and journalists across the region.
By the end of the workshop, journalists were expected to be better equipped to analyze and debunk disinformation and anti-democratic narratives, conduct ethical investigations into human rights abuses, and hold perpetrators accountable. The training also aimed to ensure that journalists uphold the highest ethical standards in their reporting while safeguarding their own digital security.
The ECOWAS and partner-led training represents a crucial step in strengthening the media’s capacity to navigate the complexities of misinformation and disinformation in West Africa. By empowering journalists with the skills and tools necessary to report accurately and responsibly, the program contributes to ensuring the integrity of information, fostering peace, and supporting democratic governance in the region.