Alioune Tine calls for stronger defenses against disinformation in Africa

Alioune Tine, president of the Afrikajom Center, has called for strengthened defenses to protect African democracies against the growing threat of disinformation. Speaking in Dakar at the conclusion of a four-day training session focused on fact-checking and fake news in the era of artificial intelligence, Tine emphasized the urgent need to enhance the capacities of information actors.

Key recommendations from the initiative include the regulation of the sector, updating press codes and communication laws, and the establishment of a dedicated task force or observatory to combat disinformation. Ousmane Sall, vice-rector of the Cheikh Hamidou Kane Digital University (UNCHK), also highlighted the necessity of training all stakeholders in the information chain to address new manipulation methods facilitated by AI.

Afrikajom Center and UNCHK have announced a continued collaboration through an intention protocol covering training, research, innovation, awareness, and youth leadership development to build citizen resilience against information manipulation.