Addis Ababa [30 April 2026] – The African Union Group of Friends on Safety of Journalists held its inaugural meeting at the Embassy of Cameroon in Addis Abeba, marking an important step towards promoting a safe and enabling environment for journalists and media workers across the continent.
This Group of Friends brings together African Union (AU) Member States’ delegations committed to advancing dialogue, cooperation, and collective action on the safety of journalists and to combat impunity, in line with the African Union’s decisions and relevant international human rights standards. The initiative is supported by UNESCO, as coordinator of the UN Plan on Safety of Journalists, and spearheaded by Omar Faruk Osman, President of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ).
African States Meet to Strengthen the Safety of Journalists across the Continent
Ahead of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) conference in Lusaka, Zambia on 4-5 May, which also featured the 4th edition of the African Media Convention, the inaugural meeting of the AU Group of Friends on Safety of Journalists was held in Addis Ababa on 30 April 2026. The formation of this Group of Friends builds directly on discussions and commitments outlined during two meetings of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) held in September 2024 and November 2025 on the safety of journalists.
During these meetings, the PSC reaffirmed the critical role of journalists and media professionals in promoting peace, security, democracy and good governance across the continent, while also condemning all forms of violence and attacks against journalists. This continental mechanism dedicated to the protection of journalists and access to information strengthens the institutional responses to the plight of journalists, similar to the prioritization of these issues seen in other global diplomatic hubs, like New York, Geneva, Paris, Vienna, and Washington D.C.
The AU Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists therefore represents African Member States efforts to reinforce cooperation between African institutions, media organizations, trade unions and international partners on issues relating to media freedom, safety of journalists, information integrity and the role of the media in peace and security processes across continent.
“The Group of Friends on Safety of Journalists in Africa is a major pillar of the African Union/UNESCO cooperation.” Ambassador Churchill-Monono, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cameroon to the AU and PSC Chairperson
Member States at the inaugural meeting stressed that the African Group of Friends should build upon and leverage existing cooperation within African Union mechanisms and instruments to make sure that it reflects African realities and challenges. These include the African Peer Review Mechanism, the AU Economic, Social and Cultural Council, the AU Commission on International Law, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) resolutions, AU Peace and Security Council decisions, and broader African Union (AU) normative frameworks.
Subsequently, during the World Press Freedom Day conference in Lusaka, Zambia on 4 May 2026, Mariya Gabriel, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to support the establishment and development of this new Group of Friends and to provide guidance to help ensure it becomes a meaningful and impactful platform to strengthen journalist safety in Africa. The event was also marked by Zambia’s announcement of its intention to officially join the Group.
While Groups of Friends remain Member State-led initiatives, UNESCO has continuously supported their activities by facilitating dialogue, providing technical expertise and aligning discussions with international standards and normative frameworks relating to freedom of expression, the safety of journalists and the combat against impunity.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/protecting-and-advancing-freedom-expression-africa-au-group-friends-safety-journalists-holds-its?hub=701
