UN, African journalists to push for continental response to AI-driven disinformation

African journalists, civil society groups and United Nations experts are set to push for a coordinated continental response to disinformation, declining trust in reliable information and the growing use of artificial intelligence to manipulate digital content.

The discussions will take place at a roundtable on information integrity convened by the United Nations, Nation Media Foundation and the Federation of African

Journalists during the Global Africa Business Initiative on Monday, September 21.

The meeting comes amid what organisers describe as a global information crisis, marked by the erosion of independent media, the misuse and weaponisation of digital and AI technologies, declining public trust in reliable information, and increasing attacks on journalists, scientists and activists.

“The erosion of independent media, the misuse and weaponisation of digital and AI technologies, declining public trust in reliable information and increasing attacks on information defenders such as journalists, scientists and activists, are undermining the integrity of the global information ecosystem,” the organisers said.

The discussions will be led by Senior Adviser on Information Integrity at UN Global Communications Charlotte Scaddan, Nation Media Group’s Chief Corporate Affairs, Marketing and Partnerships Officer, Monicah Waceke Ndung’u, and Omar Faruk Osman, the President of the Federation of African Journalists.

The roundtable will also examine the particular challenges facing Africa, including the financial viability and freedom of the media, algorithm-driven polarisation and risks arising from artificial intelligence, as well as the need to strengthen public literacy and the capacity to navigate an increasingly complex information environment.

The meeting builds on the UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, launched by the UN Secretary-General in June 2024. The framework is organised around five pillars of societal trust and resilience, healthy incentives, public empowerment, independent and pluralistic media, and transparency and research.

The principles were followed by commitments on information integrity contained in the Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact, adopted by UN member states in September 2024.

A separate Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change was launched in November that year to bring governments, civil society, academia and international organisations together to tackle climate disinformation.

In Africa, the organisers point to growing recognition of information integrity as part of democratic governance, peace and security, and sustainable development. The African Union Peace and Security Council has recognised the strategic role of information integrity in advancing peace and security and called for continental approaches to emerging digital information challenges.

The Nairobi roundtable is expected to focus on practical responses and could pave the way for a proposed Pan-African Conference on Information Integrity. A summary of the discussions and recommendations is expected to be produced after the meeting.