The 15th edition of the Universités africaines de la communication de Ouagadougou (UACO) took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from October 7 to 9, 2026. On October 8, 2026, Professor Lassina Simporé, a researcher at the Université Joseph-Ki-Zerbo, emphasized the need for an intensified internal communication warfare to counter foreign information offensives. This event brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss strategies for protecting African populations from foreign information offensives.
According to Professor Simporé, African states must strengthen their communication defense capabilities in the face of intensifying foreign information offensives. He made these remarks during a presentation on "Quelles stratégies étatiques pour protéger les populations africaines face aux offensives informationnelles étrangères?" at the UACO. The Professor highlighted that the security landscape has evolved, and the information space has become a major battleground.
Professor Simporé stressed that foreign information offensives can influence perceptions, undermine institutions, and affect social cohesion. He cited examples of international media outlets and digital platforms spreading narratives that can have far-reaching consequences. To mitigate these effects, he recommended developing mechanisms for strategic monitoring, anticipation, and alert systems to counter disinformation and propaganda.
The Professor emphasized the importance of media education and critical thinking in preserving the cognitive sovereignty of African societies. He proposed integrating media education into school curricula and extending it to the broader society to enable citizens to distinguish between reliable information and manipulative content. This approach, he believes, can help African societies analyze information and construct their own representations of the world.
Professor Simporé also suggested adapting legal frameworks to the evolving information landscape and strengthening cooperation between states and national media. He highlighted the importance of editorial independence, professional rigor, and systematic fact-checking in maintaining the credibility of African media. Furthermore, he encouraged the use of artificial intelligence to verify information and produce adapted content.
The Professor concluded that an autonomous African information space can emerge by producing its own narratives, strengthening social cohesion, and defending the continent's interests in the global arena. He called on stakeholders to work together to achieve this goal, emphasizing that a robust internal communication warfare is essential in countering foreign information offensives.
The UACO 2026 event provided a platform for experts to share knowledge and experiences on communication strategies and their impact on African societies. The discussions and presentations aimed to promote a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the information space and to identify effective ways to address these challenges.
Key points
- Professor Lassina Simporé calls for intensified internal communication warfare to counter foreign information offensives in Africa.
- African states must strengthen their communication defense capabilities to protect their populations from foreign information offensives.
- Media education and critical thinking are essential in preserving the cognitive sovereignty of African societies.
