Ghana and Korea collaborate on fighting misinformation
Ghana and Korea have agreed to develop a strategic partnership to curb the growing menace of misinformation and disinformation in the West African country.
This came to light when the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, received the Secretary General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, Kyung-Koo Han in his office on Wednesday (6 December).
During the meeting, both parties discussed collaborative efforts to tackle the rising tide of misinformation and disinformation that are increasingly becoming one of the major threats confronting the security and development of both countries.
This comes on the back of a recent national conference on disinformation and misinformation, where a seven-point communique was collectively agreed upon by political parties, civil society organisations (CSOs), media representatives, and development partners.
The plan, currently in development, is slated to be finalised by the end of the year and will incorporate a variety of strategies including maintaining ethical standards in media, encouraging fact-checking in public conversations, supporting high-quality journalism, and promoting civic education.
Expressing delight over the longstanding diplomatic ties between Korea and Ghana, Han cited the Bridge Project’s, one of the youth-centered Korean programmes which aims to help young people develop insights and skills needed to “bridge” the gaps between people of divergent cultural heritages by fostering greater intercultural awareness and understanding.
He said there are ongoing talks for Ghana’s potential hosting of the Documentary Heritage Workshop in a move that will further strengthen the country’s efforts to archive its heritage materials.
This, Nkrumah assured the Korean delegation of a strong collaboration, ensuring both countries reap the benefits of this enduring relationship, particularly in areas of mutual interest such as education and culture.