Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in collaboration with The Gambia Press Union (GPU), on Sunday, October 26, 2026, commenced a three-day training for 25 journalists on election reporting, journalist safety, tackling disinformation and hate speech ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.
The training, funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), seeks to equip journalists with skills to manage physical and digital risks, report elections fairly and accurately, and address censorship, disinformation and hate speech.
The training comes as The Gambia prepares for the December 5, 2026 presidential election and subsequent electoral cycle ending in May 2027.
Delivering his keynote address, Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, described the training as timely, noting that election reporting comes with heightened tensions and safety risks.
"Journalists have to report elections, but during elections tensions are very high, and we have to ensure journalists are safe when they do the reporting," Dr. Ceesay said.
He said disinformation and hate speech are not peculiar to The Gambia but global phenomena, citing recent elections in Brazil and elsewhere.
Dr. Ceesay commended RSF and GPU, saying strengthening journalists' capacity is an investment in democracy and in the credibility of institutions. He reminded journalists of their role in providing accurate information to help citizens determine the country's future, and urged them to prioritise accuracy over speed.
"A fabricated political statement or misleading information about election results can spread rapidly. It can confuse voters and undermine public confidence," he said, advising journalists to report only results officially announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to avoid confusion and potential violence.
He stressed that criticising government is not disloyalty and asking difficult questions is not hostility, describing journalists as a torch that guides government.
GPU President, Isatou Keita, said the training is being held at a critical period when demand for credible, accurate and responsible journalism will continue to grow.
"During elections, citizens rely on journalists not just for information, but for clarity. They depend on us to separate facts from falsehood, to provide context rather than causing confusion," she said.
Keita said disinformation, online abuse and pressure during elections require journalists to be equipped with tools, confidence and support systems to work safely, ethically and independently. She assured that GPU remains committed to advocating for a safer environment.
RSF's Project Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ndeye Diary Ba, said The Gambia has made remarkable progress in press freedom, rising from 58th in 2024 and 2025 to 46th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, gaining 12 places.
She noted that fair, balanced and independent coverage is a cornerstone of political pluralism and credible elections, but electoral periods remain demanding due to political tensions and safety risks.
"The safety of journalists is a shared responsibility. It involves the media themselves, the authorities, the security forces, and all stakeholders of the electoral process," Ba said.
Representative of the Embassy of Canada, Martin Babin, said Canada is proud to support the initiative because journalists are essential to democracy.
"Democracy cannot function without informed citizens, and informed citizens cannot exist without access to credible, independent, and professional journalism," Babin said, noting that 25 journalists had been killed worldwide since the beginning of the year and 430 detained as of last week.
