NAIROBI, Kenya May 3 – Thirty journalists from across Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan are in Nairobi this week to attend a media conference focused on preventing violent extremism and terrorism– the first of its kind in Eastern Africa.
The media conference, organised by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and hosted by the Kenya Union of Journalists in Nairobi Kenya, will discuss, and reflect on the role of the media in countering negative narratives of violence and terrorism in the Eastern Africa region. It will also afford journalists and other media stakeholders the opportunity to deepen conversations on fostering professional, ethical, and safe reporting on violent extremism and terrorism, as part of the broader Positive Counter-Terrorism Communication and Response (CT Response+) delivered by NUSOJ with support from the Australian Government.
Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, Luke Williams said “World Press Freedom Day celebrates the principles of press freedom, evaluates press freedom around the world, defends the media from attacks on their independence and pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. Australia strongly supports freedom of expression, including media freedom and the safety of journalists, and actively advocates for these in bilateral and multilateral forums.”
The media holds a challenging role as informers of society amid increasing efforts by extremists to use their channels as a vehicle to spread their destructive narratives. Australia is committed to collaborating with our Eastern African partners to promote peace and stability in the region, which is why we are supporting initiatives, such as this conference, which are contributing to the prevention of violent extremism and terrorism.”
Secretary General, NUSOJ, Omar Faruk Osman hailed the Australian High Commission for the partnership.
“Through this partnership with the Australian High Commission, NUSOJ is bringing together journalists from across the Eastern African region for this inaugural conference,” he said.
Journalists and media houses play a vital role in informing the public on the operationalisation, implementation, and monitoring of national, regional, and international strategies for preventing violent extremism, and countering negative narratives of violence and terrorism.
NUSOJ advocates for P/CVE (Preventing and countering violent extremism) strategies, especially those developed by the governments, to prioritise the role of the media in P/CV, as they are uniquely placed to ensure that communication priorities are firmly rooted in media practice.”
NUSOJ will also be hosting a three-day photojournalism workshop in Mogadishu, Somalia from 16-18 May 2023, in partnership with the Australian High Commission, Kenya. Alongside technical training, participants will receive mentorship from three experienced journalists including internationally recognised and award-winning Australian photographer, Adam Ferguson; British/Somali filmmaker and photographer, Said Fadhaye; and Somali/Australian journalist, Najma Sambul.
