H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission (AUC), and Mr. Omar Faruk Osman, President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), have issued the following joint statement to mark World Press Freedom Day 2026.
3 May 2026 - On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2026, held under the theme "Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security," we congratulate African journalists and the entire media fraternity across the continent. We underscore our shared commitment to advancing press freedom as a cornerstone of peace, stability, democratic governance and sustainable development in Africa.
As always, this year's theme is highly relevant to Africa, where independent, professional and ethical journalism plays a central role in building peaceful and resilient societies. Across the continent, journalists continue to inform citizens, hold institutions accountable and facilitate dialogue, often in contexts shaped by fragility, conflict and political transition.
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Media, acting respondsibly within global norms and thrust of national constitution contributes to conflict prevention, strengthens inclusive governance and builds trust between citizens and public institutions. Conversely, restrictions on media freedom, attacks on journalists and interference in media operations undermine stability, weaken democratic processes and increase the risk of conflict.
We note the progress made in recent years through collaboration between the AU, its relevant organs and FAJ in advancing media freedom and strengthening the role of media in democracy and social cohesion. In particular, we recall the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting of 14 November 2025 on media, peace and security and its communiqué, which recognised the strategic importance of a free, independent and responsible media in promoting peace and stability across Africa.
The safety and security of journalists remains a fundamental pillar of democratic governance and peaceful societies. Journalists must be able to carry out their work without fear of intimidation, harassment or violence. At the same time, the sustainability and independence of media institutions must be protected from coercion, financial pressure and undue interference. A secure and viable media environment is essential to ensuring that journalism serves the public interest without fear or favour.
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We further highlight the urgent need to promote information integrity across Africa as a key element of peace and security. The spread of disinformation and misinformation, manipulation of public discourse and digital interference poses serious risks to democratic processes, social cohesion and stability. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts to strengthen professional journalism, support fact-checking, enhance media and digital literacy and promote transparent communication by public institutions, while safeguarding freedom of expression.
We emphasise the importance of inclusive dialogue and institutionalised engagement between governments, media, civil society and international partners. Such collaboration is necessary to address emerging challenges, including digital threats, economic pressures on media institutions and the shrinking of civic space.
On this World Press Freedom Day, we pay tribute to African journalists who continue to serve the public interest with courage and professionalism, often under difficult and dangerous conditions. We reiterate our shared commitment to strengthening press freedom, protecting journalists, preserving information integrity and promoting accountable governance as key foundations for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Africa.
