Ouagadougou:The 15th edition of the African Universities of Communication in Ouagadougou (UACO) concluded with a call from Minister Pingdwend Gilbert Oudraogo for the recommendations made to be effectively implemented, emphasizing the need to strengthen the fight against disinformation, enhance digital skills among media professionals, and promote credible African content.
According to Burkina Information Agency, participants at the event, held over three days under the theme "In a context of communication warfare, what attitudes and skills for information and communication actors in Africa?", developed recommendations during seven panels consisting of 35 communications. These were aimed at addressing the continent's information challenges.
Recommendations included enhancing fact-checking and whistleblowing mechanisms, promoting fact-checking journalism, and increasing media and information literacy. Media outlets, public institutions, communication professionals, and civil society organizations were urged to collaborate to ensure reliable and responsible information dissemination.
Participants also stressed the importance of ongoing training for media professionals in digital tools, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and new editorial practices, while maintaining ethical and professional standards. Additionally, they highlighted the need to promote communication that fosters peace, dialogue, and social cohesion, as well as to support the production and dissemination of diverse, credible, and high-quality African content.
Minister Oudraogo commended the quality of discussions and the relevance of the recommendations. He emphasized that the conclusions should not remain unfulfilled but should lead to concrete actions. "Faced with the communications war, information and communication actors in Africa must, more than ever, demonstrate rigor, discernment, professionalism, responsibility and ethics," he stated.
The closing ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Communication of Guinea-Bissau, Abduramane Tur, and several other notable figures in the communication sector.