Participants in the seminar organized by the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) on the theme “Fact-Checking: Detection of fake news in media content”, announced Thursday April 25, 2024 in Rabat, the creation of the Network of African Press Agencies Fact-Checkers Journalists (RJF-FAAPA).
This Network, whose creation was announced at the ceremony to award certificates to seminar participants, presided over by FAAPA president and MAP Director General Fouad Arif, is intended as a structure for concerted, effective and serious work by FAAPA member agencies in the fight against disinformation.
It promotes the setting up of a framework for journalists, enabling them to create a platform specialized in the verification of news and multimedia content, as well as the development of a guide to fact-checking with a view to making it available to journalists from African press agencies.
The members of this Network, who have expressed their determination to forge ahead with the mutualization of efforts in the fight against fake news, will contribute within their respective newsrooms to the implementation of information verification techniques, and will help strengthen coordination between FAAPA members in this field.
In a statement to MAP, RJF-FAAPA coordinator Jean Bedel Ndandula, from the Congolese Press Agency, praised the great commitment shown by the seminar’s trainers and participants to the topics covered, including theoretical and practical workshops on fact-checking methodology, ways of combating disinformation and fact-checking tools and techniques.
“Creating this network is a first. It is a scientific fraternity that is emerging and also a great challenge because FAAPA press agencies will now fight together against disinformation for democracy and peace in Africa “, underlined Ndandula.
Cameroonian journalist and media expert Xavier Messé A Tiati, who took part in the seminar as a trainer, said that the technological advances and professionalism of the Maghreb Arab News Agency are “unique” in Africa, emphasizing MAP’s constant concern to share its experience and expertise with FAAPA member press agencies.
“Morocco has always been keen to help African countries in the fields of health, security and the economy. Today, within the framework of FAAPA, this sharing of experience is taking place in the field of information and journalism”, noted Tiati.
The five-day seminar, attended by 24 journalists from FAAPA member press agencies, covered various aspects of the chosen theme, including “the history of the spread of fake news and the emergence of Fact-checking”, “the objectives and challenges of Fact-checking”, “Fact-checking tools and techniques” and “Fact-checking methodology”.
