JUBA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Tuesday launched a three-day national workshop to establish a multi-agency platform to combat hate speech and disinformation, a key effort to strengthen conflict prevention and social cohesion.
Convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), alongside the African Union Commission and United Nations (UN) agencies, the workshop brings together government institutions, civil society, media organizations, and other stakeholders to coordinate a response against harmful narratives.
Victoria Anib, IGAD's head of mission in South Sudan, said that the platform will strengthen cooperation, information-sharing, and coordinated responses to emerging threats, reflecting IGAD's broader commitment to peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
The initiative comes at a critical juncture as South Sudan advances its peace process ahead of upcoming elections, constitutional drafting, and national peacebuilding efforts.
Beleteze Foretia, representing the UN Office of the Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, warned that hate speech, rumors, and misinformation risk undermining inter-community trust and driving political instability.
Foretia also stressed that anti-disinformation measures must not compromise fundamental rights, emphasizing the need to safeguard freedom of expression, independent journalism, and legitimate political participation.
Over the three-day workshop, participants will work to define institutional roles, strengthen links between early-warning mechanisms and preventive action, build a shared understanding of narrative threats, and foster national ownership of the new platform. ■