Addis Ababa

A laboratory of ideas for future multilateral cooperation

The UNESCO Liaison Office in partnership with CIPESA, AccessNOW and the Bloggers Association of Kenya hosted on September 24, 2019 an Ethiopian Bloggers Forum for bloggers in Ethiopia as part of a skills  building initiative. This event was hosted within the framework of the Continental Annual Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 2019 (FIFAfrica19) and the International Day for the Universal Access to Information (IDUAU 2019).   The forum provided a platform for more than 35 bloggers and journalists to share their experiences and challenges. It was noted that the digital era had provided a platform for people to access widespread information and partake in journalism through active engagement on social and digital media platforms. It was also an opportunity for most of the bloggers to meet up and discuss their work in light of ethical considerations. Participant bloggers who were composed of different thematic areas including health, social affairs and rights advocates, current affairs and politics raised a number of issues in the Forum.   Furthermore, a session focused on fact checking which was moderated by Cayley Clifford a researcher at Africacheck was highly engaging with key techniques and capacities enhanced. She stressed on the need to verify all kinds of information before sharing as the technology has brought up challenges, as opportunities, that require readiness and sophisticated skills. She  shared tools and methods which could be used by individual bloggers in verifying information received online. She added that the spread of false information had become so widespread as a result of which people make decisions based on these false information that affect their lives and of others.   The last session stressed the need for the creation of an association of bloggers in Ethiopia. In his remarks, Mr. James Wamathai of the Bloggers Association of Kenya, who share the Kenyan experience, stated "when working as an association of bloggers, it is very easy to organize and create content to counter online hate speech, train members and other online users on digital skills, rights and advocacy”. Participates debated on the need, working structure, and ethical issues of having the bloggers association and formed a 15 member-working group that will facilitate further discussions on the key issues and the way forward.   The organizers UNESCO, AccessNow, CIPESA and BAKE promised to support the working group to achieve its objectives.  

On a statement at the General Policy Debate on the 40th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO delivered on 14 November 2019, Dr. Tilaye Gete, Minister of Education and Secretary General of the National Commission of Ethiopia, stated that Ethiopia is a firm believer in the multilateral system, noting the country’s pioneering role as founding member of the League of Nations, the United Nations and many international institutions including UNESCO. “The pressing global challenges we face, mainly the eradication of poverty and the reduction of global inequities, tackling climate change, combating of hate speech and fake news, and narrowing of the growing digital divide, require global solidarity. We should all unite to fight against these global challenges that affect all humanity.” Dr. Tilaye stressed. He noted that Ethiopia is engaged in building democratic institutions, opening the space for open, fair and free political competition, in strengthening the rule of law, the respect for human rights including freedom of expression and pluralistic media. He acknowledged the trust of UNESCO for choosing Ethiopia to host the 2019 World Press Freedom Global Conference in Addis Ababa.

UNESCO Liaison Office to ECA and AUC in Addis Ababa took part in the African Union Peace and Security Council Open Session under the theme: “Living Together in Peace” on 5 November 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in which it reiterated its long-standing commitments to peace building. Peace building is at the heart of UNESCO’s mission that it promotes through education, sciences, culture and communication and information programmes. Moreover, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly during its meeting on 8 December 2017, call for UNESCO to cooperate with other relevant bodies in facilitating the celebration of the “International Day of Living Together in Peace’’. On the Open Session, Mr. Albert Mendy, Education Specialist for UNESCO’s Addis Ababa Liaison Office read the message of Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO in which she noted, “In a world where we regularly find ourselves witnessing tensions, acts of hatred, rejection of others and discrimination, the quest for peace and the desire to live together in harmony are more fundamental than ever.” She further stressed UNESCO’s and United Nations commitment in working on a daily basis to empower people to achieve peace, not only because peace is one of the main objectives of the 2030 Agenda, but also because it is a prerequisite for sustainable development and the common good. A good example of UNESCO’s contribution to awareness, training, prevention, conflict resolution but also to promoting living together while supporting the African Union is in its efforts at regional integration through the BIOPALT project or Lake Chad Biosphere and Heritage, on "Applying the model of cross-border biosphere reserves and World Heritage sites to promote peace in the Lake Chad Basin through the sustainable management of its natural resources." The project aims to promote coexistence and the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the sub-region, including the establishment of multi-actor consultation platforms within the framework of the proposal for biosphere reserves whose spatial zoning is done on the basis of consensus decisions of communities on the way natural resources are managed. “Peace requires ever more active investment, enlightened leadership, powerful educational values and a progressive media world. The organization's long-standing commitments to the development of education and science, the enrichment of cultural creativity, heritage and the cultural future, including a dynamic and focused global media structure peace, can in fact be seen as an active, flourishing and sustainable contribution to world peace”. Albert Mendy, UNESCO Education Programme specialist informed the delegates. The BIOPALT project has components that address a water resources and cultural issues. In regard to the water resources component, UNESCO's tool known as the PCCP "Potential Conflict to Potential Cooperation" is being used to strengthen the capacity of actors (institutions, civil society and individuals) in negotiation and consensual management of water resources. The Culture component of BIOPALT focuses on promoting intercultural and intergenerational exchanges in the form of cultural activities. The classification of Lake Chad on the World Heritage List under the name of the "Cultural Landscape of Lake Chad". In addition there is the classification of several cross-border spaces under the UNESCO International Label "Cross-Border Biosphere Reserve". These re-organized, rehabilitated and better integrated spaces will now be co-managed by all the players of the five basin countries, with a view to sustainable development for the benefit of living together in peace. In other regions in Africa, UNESCO is promoting Media and Information Literacy (MIL) among policy makers, journalists and Citizens online and offline. This includes support to the development of a national MIL policies and strategies in Member States and developing an open online course for the youth. In addition, it provides support to training institutions that can continually build on the skills and attitudes of journalists and citizens to be media and information literate. UNESCO has resources that help develop this competence at national and individual levels including policy and strategy guidelines for policy makers, curriculum for teachers and media educators, guidelines for broadcasters, online courses and campaign elements for citizens and the youth, online multimedia resources too and more In the African Union Peace and Security Council Open Session, Dr. Admore Kambudzi, Director of the African Union Commission’s Peace and Security department, reiterated the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to dealing with violence on the African continent in his opening remarks. He recognized growing intolerance, violence and rising challenges to respect for human rights, which threaten peaceful coexistence and respect of diversity. He further stressed the need for the recognition of the “International Day of Living Together in Peace” celebrated every year on 16 May which provides a platform for further enhancing efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, mutual understanding and solidarity. The open session meeting, taking place at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, stressed the need for a comprehensive multi sectoral approach to solving and preventing conflicts, which encompasses political, economic, social, educational, religious and cultural dimensions of renouncing violence and of promoting the culture of peace, tolerance, amnesty, and respect for diversity.