AUB, UNESCO Launch Major Climate and Disaster Reporting Training for Journalists in Lake Chad Basin

The African Union of Broadcasting, in partnership with the UNESCO, has launched a major media training programme aimed at strengthening climate change and disaster risk reduction reporting across the conflict-affected Lake Chad Basin region.

The high-level online training, titled “AUB-UNESCO Media Training on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction in Conflict and Fragile Contexts, The Case of the Lake Chad Basin Region,” brought together journalists and media professionals from English and French speaking countries including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

The initiative is widely seen as another major milestone for AUB following the successful implementation of the earlier UNESCO-supported media resilience project targeting Small Island Developing States in Africa.

Speaking during the session, XU Jing Marco, Programme Specialist at UNESCO’s Media Development and Media in Emergency Section, commended AUB’s growing leadership in climate and disaster communication across Africa.

He noted that journalists play a critical role in saving lives through accurate, ethical and solutions-driven reporting, especially in fragile regions facing climate shocks, insecurity and humanitarian crises.

The training covered climate change fundamentals, disaster risk reduction, solutions journalism, inclusive reporting, artificial intelligence and misinformation, as well as UNESCO’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan framework for media institutions.

Participants also explored the unique climate vulnerabilities facing the Lake Chad Basin, including displacement, food insecurity, migration and insecurity linked to environmental degradation.

The sessions were facilitated by experienced media trainer and consultant Emmanuel Wongibe, who guided participants through practical storytelling approaches designed to strengthen public awareness, resilience and community engagement.

After the online sessions, selected participants will move into the next phase of the project by developing Institutional Disaster Preparedness and Response Plans for their respective media organizations. Other participants will collaborate on co-producing compelling climate change and disaster risk reduction stories from across the region.

The final phase of the programme will culminate in an in-person workshop scheduled to take place in N'Djamena, Chad.

The English-speaking session for participants from Nigeria and parts of Cameroon was held from 14 to 15 May 2026, while the French-speaking session for Chad, Cameroon and Niger is scheduled for 21 to 22 May 2026.