West African media men urged to embrace peace journalism


Journalists in the West African sub-region have been entreated to embrace peace journalism and become peace and conflict prevention ambassadors to help curtail the frequent violent conflicts across the region. 

They must internalize the tenets of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and ensure that their reportage do not trigger or aggravate violent conflicts. 

A Conflict Prevention Programme Officer at the Department of Political Affairs in the ECOWAS Commission Constant Gnacadja was speaking at a workshop organized by the ECOWAS Commission for selected radio journalists in West Africa at Abuja Nigeria. 

The Workshop was to enhance the capacities of journalists to understand and inform the public about ECOWAS policies and activities in regional integration, democracy, peace and security and create awareness of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework. 

Violent Conflicts in the sub-region according to expert are accelerated by repressive security apparatus, curtailment of freedoms, corruption, religious and ethnic discrimination and worsening cost of living. 

From Abuja, Radio Ghana’s Dominic Hlordzi reports that, the main aim of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework is to strengthen the human security architecture in West Africa. 

It also seeks to create space within the ECOWAS system and Member States for cooperative interaction within the region and external partners to push conflict prevention and peace building up in the political agenda of Member States in a manner that will trigger timely and targeted multi-actor and multi-dimensional action to diffuse or eliminate potential and real threats to human security in a predictable manner. 

The work of journalists in this regard according to the Conflict Prevention Programme Officer at the ECOWAS Commission Constant Gnacadja is crucial.

A Communication Focal person at the Communication Directorate of the ECOWAS Commission Arthur Obayuwana underscored the need for journalists to be sensitive and tactful in reporting conflict situations.

The ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework has 15 components that span the chain of initiatives designed to strengthen human security and incorporate conflict prevention activities as well as aspects of peace building. 

They include early warning, preventive diplomacy, peace education as well as natural resource governance. 

GBC