Johannesburg — allAfrica 's Nontobeko Mlambo attended the 20th African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) - the largest gathering of African investigative journalists on the continent - at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In 2021, war reporters David Beriain and Roberto Fraile, a cameraman, lost their lives when the government convoy they were accompanying was ambushed on the road to Pama National Park in eastern Burkina Faso. The journalists had joined the convoy to document its anti-poaching efforts.
Beriain and Fraile were honoured at the African Investigative Journalism Conference during a keynote session titled Terrorism in the Sahel Region. Several speakers discussed the importance of shifting the focus of reporting on these crimes from data to human perspectives.
Silas Jonathan, Digital Investigation Manager at the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development in Nigeria, said that to cover terrorism effectively in today's media landscape, journalists are encouraged to focus on the human aspect of the story to provide a balanced, ethical perspective. Jonathan said this approach helps audiences understand the complex human impact of such events beyond sensational details.
journalists need to reimagine how they report on the Sahel conflict
Marie - Louise Mamgue , editor-in-chief for DataCameroon, said journalists must consider the emotional and ethical challenges of interviewing survivors and families, which require careful handling to avoid retraumatization. She said there's a need for a deeper understanding of the complexities and hidden facts of the conflict in the Sahel.
"The problem in the G5 hotspot countries in the Sahel - Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Chad - is that the European Union and the U.S. have tried to securitize them, but the impact of the security mission has further destabilized the region because the donors who are providing billions of dollars in military aid have not addressed the underlying reasons why militants are trying to erode authoritarian regimes," said Louise.
The prolonged instability in the Sahel has forced over 2.5 million people to flee their homes in the past decade, with severe consequences for health services and economic stability. Many communities in the region depend on agriculture, livestock, and trade, but persistent conflict disrupts these livelihoods, leading to deepening poverty and economic stagnation. Young people are easily recruited into militant groups due to high unemployment rates. Many militant groups leveraged social media and local languages to recruit local youths through targeted and sponsored campaigns on Facebook and Telegram.
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"The Sahel is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world, with hundreds of languages spoken across countries. By disseminating content in local languages and using culturally resonant symbols, these groups reach young people in both rural and urban areas, tapping into their frustrations and offering ideological or financial incentives to join," said Jonathan.
Mamgue said the media and humanitarian organizations could adopt several strategies to build trust, ensure accuracy, and reach local audiences effectively while reporting on the ongoing conflict.
sustainable peace requires a long-term commitment from global partners
She said DataCameroon is supported by other organizations, journalists, and ecologists, who can track why evaporation occurs in Lake Chad and report evidence-based facts. Even though their work is sometimes impactful, Louise believes more needs to be done because children continue to stay out of school and infrastructure remains nonfunctional. She said journalists need to reimagine how they report on the Sahel conflict by humanizing displacement and refugee experiences by spotlighting local perspectives and voices.
The panelists agreed that international organizations, such as the United Nations and the African Union can provide funding, technical assistance, and training for local governments and organizations. They agreed that sustainable peace requires a long-term commitment from global partners who support regional development while respecting local knowledge and practices.
