The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has commended the adoption of a Policy Framework on Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel.
MRA described it as a timely and necessary step towards addressing the challenges of disinformation, misinformation, and other threats to the information ecosystem in the region.
The outcome document was adopted on September 5, 2025 at the end of a three-day multi-stakeholder Regional Conference on Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Government of Cape Verde in the conference that took place on September 3 to 5, 2025 in Praia, capital of Cape Verde.
The 19-page Policy Framework, which seeks to foster trust in the information ecosystem and advance digital platform governance and human rights, was adopted in response to rising threats to information integrity as the region continues to witness a growing proliferation of disinformation and hate speech and the misuse of digital and emerging technologies to harm citizens, other populations, and societies.
In a statement by its Programme Officer, Ms Adesewa Akintokun, MRA commended the efforts of UNESCO, governments, regional institutions, and civil society stakeholders who contributed to the framework’s development.
MRA said, “At a time when the spread of false and misleading information undermines democracy, fuels conflict, and erodes public trust in institutions, this initiative provides an important blueprint for fostering a healthier and more resilient information environment.”
She said MRA is particularly encouraged by the framework’s emphasis on upholding fundamental rights, including freedom of expression and access to information, while promoting accountability, transparency, and ethical standards across both state and non-state actors and stressed that “this balanced approach is critical to ensuring that efforts to combat harmful content do not become a pretext for censorship or suppression of legitimate expression.”
Ms Akintokun described the adoption of the Policy Framework, along with the “Praia Action Plan for Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel” and the “Guide for Regulators to Implement the Information Integrity Model Policy Information & Framework in West Africa and the Sahel” as positive milestones, noting that the accurate measure of the Framework’s success will depend on the effectiveness of its implementation.
She therefore urged all stakeholders to demonstrate the political will, commitment, and collaboration necessary to translate the critical document into concrete actions that will advance information integrity and democratic resilience in West Africa and the Sahel.
