Ghana to host 3rd Africa Facts summit in October

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THE Africa Check on Friday announced Ghana as the host-country for the 2024 Africa Facts summit billed for October 9 – 10 in Accra.

According to the organizers, the event will bring together fact-checking organizations and experts from all parts of Africa.

The summit, which would be co-hosted alongside Dubawa and FactSpace West Africa, aims at strengthening and elevating the practice of fact-checking and resilience-building in the continent, the statement signed by the executive director of Africa Check, Noko Makgato, on June 28 noted.

READ: AFP, Dubawa, TheCable, others win 2023 African Fact-checking Awards

“A gathering such as this one is very important in advancing the fight against misinformation and disinformation on the continent for many reasons, but mainly because it fosters a culture of collaboration and partnership. Without these our efforts are less likely to succeed,” he said.

It noted that with 24 African countries among the 64 globally preparing for elections this year, the summit would highlight the pressing need for an intensified effort to safeguard the integrity of democratic processes.

“The summit will bring together fact-checking organisations from across the continent to explore innovative projects and advancements in fact-checking practices that they employ in their daily operations,” Makgato added.

Commenting on the summit, a board member of FactSpace West Africa and an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University, Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, stated that the summit will provide a platform for key players in the fact-checking industry to exchange ideas and learn from each other as such gatherings are essential for supporting and maintaining vibrant democracies across the continent.

“In an increasingly digital world with citizens having the ability to create content, information has become an incredibly powerful tool. How information is created, used and shared can make or mar democratic processes.

“This summit will present a space for key players in the fact-checking space to share ideas and learn from one another. Spaces such as these are needed as they support and maintain vibrant democracies across the continent by providing accurate and timely information in key times such as during elections,” Mohammed stated.

The statement further noted that “the summit will include panel discussions, workshops, and show-and-tell sessions that focus on the challenges and opportunities in our joint efforts to combat misinformation in Africa.”

Topics will cover enhancing digital literacy, advancing fact-checking initiatives, collaborating with technology platforms to curb the spread of false information, and promoting media literacy among the public.

ALSO READ: 2nd Africa Facts summit to hold in Mauritius

Also speaking, Africa Check’s head of outreach and impact, Dr. Hlalani Gumpo, said the event presents an exciting opportunity for individuals to convene and share insights, focusing on topical issues within the current context of misinformation and disinformation across the continent.

“Building on the foundation laid by previous gatherings, we aim to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration in tackling critical challenges,” Dr. Gumpo opined.

The summit will conclude with the highly anticipated African Fact-Checking Awards gala dinner which is the longest running and largest awards programme honouring fact-checking journalism in Africa, part of the statement read.

Fact-checker at The FactheckHub | [email protected] |  + posts

Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].

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