Training Course for Francophone African Journalists to Enhance Coverage of Climate and Disaster Issues

As part of efforts to strengthen the capacity of African media to address environmental and climate-related challenges, UNESCO, in collaboration with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), is organizing a specialized training course for media institutions and regulatory bodies in African Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The course targets French-speaking journalists and will be held from 28 to 30 July 2025.

This training course comes in response to the growing need for specialized media capable of delivering accurate and informed coverage of climate change particularly in island nations, which are among the regions most vulnerable to climate variability and natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, and rising sea levels. The training is expected to help empower local media to become an effective tool for awareness, response, and prevention.

The program aims to equip journalists and media regulators with a set of cognitive and technical skills to strengthen their ability to cover climate change issues and disaster risk reduction. The training focuses on producing professional and accurate media content that raises awareness among the public and decision-makers alike.

The training will cover a range of topics, from understanding climate phenomena and reporting strategies during disasters, to using modern media tools, avoiding disinformation and fake news during climate-related crises, and integrating gender-sensitive approaches in environmental media coverage.

This type of initiative reflects the African Union of Broadcasting's commitment to promoting linguistic and knowledge diversity within African media, and to empowering journalists from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds to contribute to the development of a responsible and impactful environmental media landscape capable of supporting African communities in the face of the climate crisis.