• Mali holds meeting to unify government communication amid rising disinformation threats

• Ministers urged to adopt coordinated, credible messaging as first line of defense

• Reform targets clearer public outreach to support stability and institutional trust

Mali’s Ministry of Communication, Digital Economy, and Administration Modernization (MCENMA) held a meeting on Friday, November 7, at the Modibo Keïta Memorial in Bamako. The session aimed to improve the coordination and impact of government communication. The event brought together communication officers from all ministries, the state broadcaster ORTM, the Malian Press and Advertising Agency (AMAP), and the National Communication Agency for Development (ANCD).

Participants discussed ways to harmonize public messaging and communication strategies to better highlight government initiatives.

During the session, Communication Minister Alhamdou Ag Ilyène emphasized that modern threats are not only military but also media, digital, and psychological. He stated that “the country’s first line of defense is the government’s voice, one that is clear, credible, and unified.” He urged communicators to speak with one voice, adding that “each ministry, spokesperson, and public communicator contributes to the government’s credibility.”

The reform is part of efforts to strengthen unity and coordination in government communication. It aims to share best practices, enhance institutional responsiveness, and establish a unified strategy that meets current public communication challenges, according to the MCENMA statement.

The initiative comes at a time when Mali is confronting an intense information war, Ag Ilyène said. Two recent reports from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, published in 2022 and 2024, highlighted a fourfold increase in disinformation campaigns across Africa during that period. West Africa was the most targeted region, accounting for 40% of these operations. These figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing Mali in building a strong, coherent, and credible communication strategy that supports citizens and national stability.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou