Abstract:
- João Gomes Cravinho, the EU’s Particular Consultant for the Sahel, visiting the nation, warned that disinformation is “a serious menace” to democracy.
- Talking on the finish of a three-day go to to Monrovia, the place he met authorities and civil society leaders, Cravinho famous that Liberia might use its seat on the U.N. Safety Council to assist stability within the Sahel.
By Anthony Stephens, senior correspondent with New Narratives
A prime European Union diplomat warned Tuesday that disinformation poses a rising hazard to democracies, as waves of Russian-backed propaganda from neighboring Sahel states reverberate throughout West Africa.
João Gomes Cravinho, the European Union’s Particular Consultant for the Sahel spoke at a press convention in Monrovia on the shut of a three-day go to to Liberia, throughout which he met with senior authorities officers and civil society leaders.
“Disinformation is a serious menace that democratic societies have to search out methods of coping with,” mentioned Cravinho. He declined a request to deal with the rhetoric of Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s army chief who is likely one of the area’s main voices of anti-West sentiment. Traoré, usually accused of amplifying Russian-backed, anti-Western narratives, has develop into a outstanding voice in a broader marketing campaign that portrays Moscow as Africa’s liberator and the West as a fading colonial energy. Movies glorifying Traoré — lots of them AI-generated — have flooded social media platforms, resonating significantly with younger audiences. Cravinho talked usually of the rising menace.
“We’ve seen how democracies in numerous elements of the world have been negatively affected by disinformation,” he mentioned. “Disinformation is aimed toward destabilizing and weakening democratic buildings and selling non-democratic types of authorities.”
Traoré is the newest of a rising rank of army coup leaders within the area. He seized energy in 2022. Mali’s Assimi Goïta, Niger’s Abdourahamane Tchiani and Guinea’s Mamady Doumbouya have all seized energy from democratically elected leaders in recent times. Russia, by the personal army group referred to as the Wagner Group — now rebranded — allegedly backed the coups.
In September 2023, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso stop the Financial Group of West African States and fashioned the Alliance of Sahel States, a pact that has consolidated junta rule and accelerated anti-Western rhetoric. Guinea has not joined however has leaned towards Moscow and echoed a few of the identical themes.
Liberia shares West Africa’s fragile info setting, and specialists warn that disinformation doesn’t cease at borders. Campaigns rooted in native grievances — and amplified by social media — have already infected election tensions, fueled protests and undermined belief in Liberian establishments. Overseas state actors, together with Russia, China and Qatar, are seen as accelerating the tempo of manipulation. Specialists estimate that disinformation campaigns within the area have quadrupled in recent times.
The Particular Consultant’s message indicators that disinformation is now a serious precedence for the European Union, one among Liberia’s key worldwide companions. The European Union and European governments together with Sweden, Germany and Eire, have backed media literacy campaigns, fact-checking initiatives and civic education schemes designed to blunt the affect of false narratives in Liberia. Nona Deprez, EU Ambassador to Liberia, mentioned it had labored on media capability together with knowledge safety and fact-checking and would proceed to work “extra structural features of media panorama right here in Liberia.”
Deprez mentioned the EU will even proceed to work with the Liberian authorities to deal with the drug epidemic, and youth unemployment by Technical Vocational Coaching, describing it as “a really sensible method to offer the youth with the talents which are wanted to fill the roles” and that they have been additionally “working with the personal sector to make sure that the talents which are taught to the youth are these which are wanted by the personal sector.”
Specialists say local weather change is one other main problem fueling insecurity in Liberia and different African international locations. A 2024 survey by FrontPage Africa/New Narratives found that local weather change was driving migration and fueling meals insecurity in Liberia. Cravinho mentioned local weather change was nonetheless “an element” right here.
He additionally highlighted the inflow of Burkinabes, fleeing turmoil in their very own nation and encroaching upon Liberian farmland, particularly in Grand Gedeh county, which borders Ivory Coast. He mentioned such invasions danger igniting battle.
“I was fairly struck by a remark made by the Inspector Normal of Police of Liberia that, ‘disputes over land are crucial set off of violence in Liberia,’” mentioned Cravinho.
Cravinho mentioned Liberia might additionally use its seat on the United Nations Safety Council, which it takes up in January 2026 for 2 years, to assist stabilize the crisis-ridden Sahel area.
“It’s obligatory for us to work intently with Liberia to make sure that the scenario within the Sahel stabilizes,” mentioned Cravinho. “In any other case the implications can be felt not simply in Liberia, they are going to be felt additionally in Europe.”
This story is a collaboration with New Narratives as a part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Undertaking. Funding was supplied by the Swedish embassy in Liberia. The donor had no say within the story’s content material.
