Yaoundé (Cameroon), 6 July 2023 – Experts from the 11 member countries of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC) have met since 5 July 2023 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in a Forum for the popularization, appropriation and political endorsement of the draft regional Strategy and action plan for addressing and countering hate speech in written, audiovisual and digital communication media in Central Africa. "By agreeing to host the […] Forum, Cameroon recognizes the high expectations of countries and development partners who have agreed to participate," said Oumarou Chinmoun, Secretary-General of the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon, representing the Minister at the opening of the Forum. "This forum is a great opportunity, a historic moment, to prepare the transition from a simple draft Strategy to a Regional Strategy for addressing and countering hate speech in all media", he added.

In this perspective, the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) indicated that the competent authorities of the sub-regional organization will take all the necessary measures for this objective to materialize. At the end of the Yaoundé Forum, "the draft Regional Strategy and its action plan for addressing and countering hate speech will be ready for validation and adoption by the authorized bodies of the Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa (COPAX), so that in the long term, the Member States of ECCAS, without exception, can jointly adopt  an approach that promotes conviviality, tolerance and coexistence,” noted Mangaral Bante, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECCAS Commission.

The current dynamic shows that, undeniably, the States of Central Africa quickly became aware of the threat posed by hate speech to social peace, and underlined the need to put in place a regional strategy supported by a solid plan of action to eradicate this scourge," said Paul Coustere, UNESCO Regional Director for Central Africa, reassuring that "the United Nations agencies reiterate their commitment to continue supporting initiatives going this sense, in accordance with their respective mandates, and taking into account the stakes." In addition to the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), which provides multifaceted support for the organization of the Yaoundé Forum, he mentioned that the institution he leads would strengthen its involvement in the process. Mr. Coustere also highlighted the significant contribution of the United Nations Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa, the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), among others.

The Yaoundé Forum, which ends on 7 July, brings together Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, and Chad. Initiated by the Government of Cameroon based on a mandate from UNSAC, the Forum is the fourth regional consultation on this crucial issue, after those held from 26 to 29 October 2021 in Douala, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 April 2022 in Bangui, CAR, and from 21 to 24 June 2022 in Kinshasa, DRC. This last meeting made it possible to develop and adopt the Draft regional strategy and action plan for addressing and countering hate speech in written, audiovisual and digital media in Central Africa, currently under review in Yaoundé.