Sahel journalists meet in N’Djamena to strengthen legal protections

How can journalists covering environmental issues be better protected when insecurity and pressures are common? That central question brought together about twenty media professionals from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad in N’Djamena on Monday, 8 June 2026.

Hosted at the Centre d’Études et de Formation pour le Développement (CEFOD), this regional workshop was organised by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The initiative aims to strengthen environmental journalists’ knowledge of their rights while providing tools to better manage the risks inherent in their work.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, Gassim Chérif Mahamat. Addressing the participants, he highlighted the essential role of the media in raising public awareness of environmental challenges and advocated for a favourable environment for journalism.

During the sessions, participants will explore several topics related to journalists’ legal protection, physical and digital security, and the specific difficulties encountered when covering environmental issues. The discussions also offer an opportunity to share experiences among professionals from different Sahel countries.

For Ndeye Diary Ba, RSF’s project manager for sub-Saharan Africa, this meeting responds to a growing need to protect journalists specialising in environmental reporting. In a region facing the impacts of climate change, dwindling natural resources and ongoing insecurity, these professionals are increasingly called upon to inform the public about 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 across the Sahel.