AUB–UNESCO Workshop: Supporting African Small Island Developing States media in climate and disaster reporting — Port Louis, Mauritius, 27–29 October 2025.
African Small Island Developing States are among the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. Sea-level rise, recurrent droughts, cyclones, floods and other extreme events threaten communities, economies and ecosystems. Media are often the main source of information during emergencies, yet many island media institutions lack sufficient capacity to report effectively on climate change and disasters.
UNESCO, in partnership with AUB, therefore launched a multi-month media-development initiative targeting Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius and São Tomé and Príncipe. The project supports better editorial practices, institutional disaster preparedness and response plans, and cross-border collaboration among participating media organisations.
The in-person workshop in Port Louis brings together journalists, experts, regulators, international organisations and representatives of the Mauritian government. Participating media organisations present their draft disaster preparedness and response plans and cross-border projects for peer review.
Practical sessions cover stakeholder engagement, story and programme development, digital and AI tools, and risk-communication strategies. Joint sessions with UNDRR deepen knowledge of disaster-risk-reduction programming.
The project has three phases: tailored online training on misinformation, gender-sensitive and inclusive reporting, digital tools and solutions journalism; micro-grants and mentoring for cross-border climate and disaster-risk stories; and development of institutional preparedness and response plans based on UNESCO guidance.
The workshop aims to refine preparedness plans and collaborative programmes, strengthen peer learning among the four island states, improve cooperation among media, disaster-risk actors and policymakers, and support regulators in developing national strategies for media preparedness.
The overall objective is to build long-term cooperation and place media at the centre of disaster preparedness, resilience and climate action in African island states.
