Our Directorate held the "Türkiye-Africa Media Forum" in İstanbul.
Chief Executive Officer of the African Union of Broadcasting, Gregoire Ndjaka, Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs of Libya, Walid Ammar Ellafi, and the Presidency's Head of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye, Fahrettin Altun, delivered opening remarks of the forum.
Underlining that the forum will contribute to improving the relations between the two countries, the Libyan Minister Ellafi stated, "The truth is crucial and invaluable; therefore, it is imperative that we safeguard it."
Indicating that communication today is being utilised as a weapon for the conflicts in the intellectual domain, Ellafi continued, "We must also be actively engaged in this process."
Voicing the need to establish communication as a reflection of reality, Ellafi emphasised its benefits to Africa.
Ellafi remarked that Western media outlets approach Africa from a perspective that does not reflect the truth and continued:
"We see the African continent, which is home to 1.4 billion people, as a continent that rapidly advances on the path of development. There is also economic development; however, it is unfortunate that in the field of communication and media, its interaction is disproportionately low compared to its population. External sources adopt unrealistic approaches. This approach of the West is accompanied by its attitude regarding disinformation. For instance, the issue of migration is portrayed in a negative way by the foreign press merely as statistics. But its reality and the underlying reasons are not represented."
Highlighting the significance of media and communication as two main elements in diplomacy and international politics, Ellafi stated, "These elements pertain to the ability of countries to protect their interests on the global stage. We must utilise these elements in a manner that not only reflects the truth but also safeguards our rights and interests."
"Regrettably, the narratives surrounding migration often contain misinformation"
Ndjaka, Chief Executive Officer of the African Union of Broadcasting, stated that they signed an agreement with TRT and conveyed their desire to expand such initiatives.
Highlighting that migration is the issue currently garnering significant media attention in Africa, Ndjaka stated, "Regrettably, the narratives surrounding migration often contain misinformation and are largely influenced by negative stereotypes. The Director General of the African Union of Broadcasting is organising a summit on this exact issue. This summit will reflect the African perspective on migration."
Highlighting the importance of Türkiye's collaboration in this context, Ndjaka stated that the next forum might be held in an African city.
The Forum will feature sessions titled “Strengthening the Media and Communication Ecosystem in Türkiye-Africa Relations", “Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication: Exploring Opportunities for Cooperation within a Common Vision,” and “Accurate Information Flow and Strategies to Counter Disinformation in Türkiye-Africa Media Relations."
"Strategic communication efforts have undergone substantial transformation"
The Chief Advisor to the President of Türkiye, Saadet Oruç, moderated the forum session titled "Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication: Exploring Opportunities for Cooperation within a Common Vision."
Speakers at the session included the Presidency's Deputy Head of Communications, Assoc. Prof. Çağatay Özdemir, Chief Executive Officer of the Inclusive Society Institute, Daryl Swanepoel, Lecturer at the University of Leicester, Dr. Idil Osman, President of the Senegal Turkish Alumni Association, Momar Diouf, and Head of the Department of African Studies at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, Assoc. Prof. Mürsel Bayram.
The Presidency's Deputy Head of Communications, Özdemir, argued that the recent transformation in communication, particularly in Africa, and the rise of regional powers in the global political system had given way to a distinct new order, saying, "This new order brings countries to a new axis where they redefine themselves, reconstruct the international system, and readjust to the demands of the era."
Özdemir underscored the recent absence of an international system centred on a single hegemon or a few conflicting structures, saying, "The communication perspectives employed by African countries are a manifestation of this. It is fair to say that the strategic communication efforts have undergone substantial transformation."
Özdemir stressed the importance of African countries uniting in the fight against disinformation, citing the expansion of strategic communication in numerous areas.
Key role of social media
Chief Executive Officer of the Inclusive Society Institute, Daryl Swanepoel, emphasised the significance of public diplomacy and strategic communication, stating, "Public diplomacy renders misunderstandings and emotional bonds manageable. Strategic communication paves the way to a holistic narrative."
Swanepoel remarked that social media has transformed communication, noting, "Social media has introduced new methods of reaching the public and the masses, but it has also brought challenges such as disinformation. A standard needs to be set for accuracy and accountability."
Swanepoel said that the Türkiye-Africa partnership will also contribute to proper information flow in social media, and there are opportunities for increasing cooperation in the media sector.
Expressing that diversity will grow with the expansion of partnerships, Swanepoel noted that this will also contribute to impartial journalism.
"Türkiye's model deserves wider recognition across the continent"
A lecturer at the University of Leicester, Osman referred to the public's lack of awareness of Türkiye's public diplomacy initiatives and said,
"Türkiye has a unique, people-oriented approach, which can be interpreted as 'Türkiye aims to enhance the human capital in Africa.' Türkiye's model deserves wider recognition across the continent."
Indicating that the Western development model is related to colonial relations and attitudes, Osman stated that this must end and, therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness in countries where Türkiye has a limited firsthand presence.
Osman emphasised that the focus on negative stereotypes invariably casts Africa in an unfavourable light, stating,
"The Western media consistently portrays everything in Africa negatively. We see no representation at all in terms of their skills, capacity, and achievements. This serves the colonial mentality. Our focus should be rather geared towards Africa's skills. This is what Türkiye is doing. This is what the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) is doing with Africa Matters. The narrative style of BBC and CNN needs to change."
The President of the Senegal Turkish Alumni Association, Momar Diouf, emphasised the importance of building a common vision, stating that cooperation between African countries and Türkiye should encompass common interests.
Assoc. Prof. Mürsel Bayram, Head of the Department of African Studies at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, said, "The positive image of Türkiye and Turkish people in Africa also proves that Türkiye has achieved significant success in both public diplomacy and strategic communication."
"The geography most subjected to false historical narratives is undoubtedly Africa"
The panel on "Accurate Information Flow and Strategies to Counter Disinformation in Türkiye-Africa Media Relations" was organised as part of the Forum, moderated by the Director of the Neighbouring and Peripheral Countries Application and Research Centre at İstanbul Ticaret University, Prof. Ahmet Kavas.
İdris Kardaş, Coordinator of the Centre for Combating Disinformation at the Presidency's Directorate of Communications, said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a great sensitivity towards Africa and that the public interest he garnered during his visits to the continent has increased his sense of responsibility for it.
Kardaş stated that combating disinformation is not a recent issue for Africa and added:
"Just as Africa was the most exploited terrain for colonial activities, it is surely the geography most subjected to false historical narratives. This is not merely a present-day issue. Disinformation is terminologically a new concept; however, the fabrication of false history is not new to the region. Therefore, we recognise that we are facing a highly challenging issue."
Kardaş expressed that a new perception of Africa must be built, highlighting the significant prejudices and flow of information against the African region.
"Disinformation activities by some media outlets have become widespread"
Head of the Area Studies Department at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, Prof. Elem Eyrice Tepeciklioğlu, noted that certain media organisations facilitate the flow of accurate information between Türkiye and Africa.
Tepeciklioğlu emphasised that Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Anadolu Agency (AA) expedited the diplomacy of accurate information flow in Africa and accurately portrayed the image of Türkiye in Africa and the continent's image in the country through these media outlets.
"We, the media organisations, must not expose our audience to manipulation"
The Arab Africa Foundation Correspondent Amal Elasri explained that disinformation is not a novel phenomenon but has evolved into a significantly more potent weapon due to technological advancements.
Elasri argued that election polls conducted in many countries serve as a tool of disinformation to manipulate voters, saying:
"Today, the media can bring down a political leader. It can change regimes. Therefore, we must understand consumers and guarantee that they do not absorb any information without verifying it. We, the media institutions, must not expose our audience to manipulation and provide them with genuine information."
"The line between information and disinformation is gradually becoming thinner"
Senior Correspondent for Addis Media Network, Ekram Awol Abdo, noted that combating disinformation is a crucial agenda item in Türkiye-Africa relations, highlighting that the Directorate of Communication has showcased its trust in Africa by organising this forum.
Abdo remarked on the significant historical ties between Türkiye and Ethiopia, stating, "The Ankara Agreement established peace between Ethiopia and Somalia. This agreement will serve as a more robust foundation for relations between the two countries. It represents a significant accomplishment on Türkiye's part."
