At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, five journalists from leading media outlets in Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa undertook a press tour to Ukraine. Their goal is to convey to audiences in Africa the truth about Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Ukrainian resistance and Ukraine’s role in global security, including food security.
This press tour became part of the systematic work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to involve African media within the framework of the communication strategy “Ukraine – African States”, which consistently expands Ukraine’s presence on the African continent.
In Kyiv, the journalists met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Mishchenko and discussed the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the international security system, and Ukraine’s results and plans in strengthening constructive and mutually beneficial relations with their countries and the region. In particular, the topic was the opening of new Ukrainian embassies on the African continent, the launch of agrohubs to deepen cooperation in the field of food security, as well as the continuation of cooperation in the field of international education.
Journalists joined the Fourth International Food Security Summit “Food from Ukraine”, which embodied the consistent development of the humanitarian program of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy “Grain from Ukraine” into a new initiative “Food from Ukraine”. Media representatives participated in thematic panels, got acquainted with investment projects and new trade opportunities, as well as talked with representatives of the Ukrainian agricultural industry and visited presentation stands of agricultural machinery manufacturers.
Participants of the press tour took part in the Crimea Global International Conference, which brought together international experts to strengthen Ukraine's ties with the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. During the conference, common challenges, global security issues, and the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine were discussed. A special press conference was held for journalists with Ukrainian experts on Crimea, human rights, and countering disinformation.
Within the scope of countering disinformation, journalists had a busy program: they met with experts from the Center for Civil Liberties, spoke with victims and witnesses of Russian war crimes, as well as with Ukrainian specialists who investigate and counter foreign information manipulation and interference in the information space (FIMI).
A group of journalists visited the cities of the Kyiv region that suffered from Russian aggression and saw with their own eyes the destruction caused by the war, as well as the efforts of communities in reconstruction. In Lviv, journalists held meetings with the head of the Lviv city community, Andrii Sadov, active youth, and representatives of civil society, and honored the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine.
The visit of media representatives to Ukraine was organized with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Ukraine and the European Commission within the framework of the project “EU-Ukraine Strategic Communications Capacity Building Initiative”.