The Regional Conference on Information Integrity to be held in September in Cape Verde will seek to define a strategic framework and action plan for this area, aligned with international and continental standards and strategies, adapted to the context of West Africa and the Sahel,

The conference is based on the guidelines and recommendations of UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, said the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miryan Vieira, at a press conference.

The event is promoted by the government of Cape Verde, in partnership with UNESCO and will take place between September 03rd and 05th, with the participation of ministers and international partners.

The objective is to improve access to information, strengthen the resilience and skills of populations for greater participation in the information ecosystem and promote synergies between different actors to safeguard the integrity of information.

The Prime Minister's Deputy Secretary of State, Lourenço Lopes, considered that holding the conference constitutes UNESCO's recognition of Cape Verde as a reference for freedom, democracy and good governance in Africa and the world.

The event will have two main moments: discussions between technicians and experts and a ministerial segment. The conference will also feature ministers from several countries, high-ranking representatives of the United Nations (UN), UNESCO leaders, and international partners.

The target audience also includes ministries responsible for communications, education and information technology, academics, regulators, journalists, fact-checkers and civil society organizations.

Over the course of three days, plenary sessions and side events will be held on the definition of a strategic framework for information integrity, risks and threats, governance of digital platforms, use of new technologies, access to information, media and information literacy, and strengthening partnerships.

Picture: © 2016 Paulo Novais