DAKAR, Senegal — United Nations agencies and regional officials are stepping up efforts to address misinformation, disinformation and information manipulation in West Africa and the Sahel, urging greater coordination at the country level to protect public trust and support peace and social cohesion.
The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, or UNOWAS, and UNESCO’s Regional Office for West Africa held a virtual meeting Monday with U.N. resident coordinators from across the region to discuss implementation of a regional action plan on information integrity.
The plan was adopted at a regional conference on information integrity held in Praia, Cabo Verde, in September 2025.
Leonardo Santos Simão, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, and Dimitri Sanga, director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for West Africa, highlighted the potential impact of misleading and manipulated information on political and social stability.
They said disinformation, misinformation and information manipulation can deepen polarization, undermine public trust and contribute to social tensions.
The officials also emphasized the role of U.N. resident coordinators and country teams in coordinating efforts across the U.N. system and incorporating information integrity into work on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, development and governance.
The meeting gave resident coordinators an opportunity to discuss priorities and practical measures for implementing the regional action plan in individual countries.
Participants also considered ways to strengthen cooperation with national and regional institutions and adapt initiatives to local circumstances.
The U.N. agencies said the discussions reaffirmed their commitment to promoting an information environment that is reliable, ethical, inclusive and respectful of human rights.
They said stronger information integrity could contribute to more resilient societies and efforts to sustain peace across West Africa and the Sahel.
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