ECOWAS and Germany partner to strengthen media resilience against Disinformation in West Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, with support from Germany, has successfully trained 40 journalists from across the region in advanced fact-checking and responsible reporting techniques. The capacity building workshop, held in Abidjan, equipped media professionals with critical skills in Media and Information Literacy (MIL), Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), and human rights-sensitive journalism. 

The training forms part of a broader ECOWAS initiative to foster a more informed and resilient media landscape across its 15 member states. Funded by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ through the Organisational Development (OD) programme, the workshop addressed the urgent need for accurate information dissemination in an era of increasing digital falsehoods. 

Participants engaged in hands-on sessions led by experts from Code for Africa, learning practical techniques to debunk false claims, analyze digital content, and report on sensitive issues without exacerbating conflicts. The curriculum particularly emphasized the role of open-source investigation in holding power to account while maintaining rigorous standards of evidence. 

The German partnership reflects a growing recognition of media development as crucial to sustainable progress in West Africa. "Disinformation undermines development efforts and erodes public trust," noted a GIZ spokesperson. "Our support for this initiative aligns with Germany's commitment to strengthening institutions that enable informed citizen participation." 

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye