How can journalists investigating environmental issues be better protected in a context often marked by insecurity and pressure? That central question brought together around twenty media professionals from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad in N’Djamena on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Hosted at the Centre d’Études et de Formation pour le Développement (CEFOD), this regional workshop was organized by an international press freedom organization. The initiative aims to strengthen environmental journalists’ knowledge of their rights while equipping them with tools to better manage the risks of their profession.
The opening ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Gassim Chérif Mahamat. Addressing participants, he emphasized the essential role of media in raising public awareness about environmental issues and advocated for a favorable environment for journalism.
Over the course of the workshop, participants will address several themes related to legal protection for journalists, physical and digital security, and the specific challenges of covering environmental topics. The discussions also allow for experience sharing among professionals from different Sahel countries.
For Ndeye Diary Ba, project manager for sub-Saharan Africa at the organizing organization, this meeting responds to a growing need to protect journalists specializing in environmental matters. In a region facing climate change impacts, dwindling natural resources, and insecurity, these professionals are increasingly called upon to inform populations on sensitive issues.
Scheduled over several days, the workshop is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening the safety of environmental journalists and promoting a more protective legal framework in Sahel countries.