Over 14 journalists from Ecowas member states were last Friday certificated at the Senegalese Capital Dakar after successfully completing the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction joint media training.

The training was designed for middle-level professionals who are involved in daily news coverage and reporting and National Focal Points persons for disaster risk reduction in Ecowas member states, with focus on basic elements of disaster risk reduction, emphasising the role of media in building community resilience to disasters.

At the Second African Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2010, the Ministers adopted the Programme of Action for the implementation of the Africa Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy (2006-2015). This decision was adopted against the backdrop of increasing frequency and severity of disasters in Africa. The Ministers also mandated the African Union Commission to coordinate the implementation of the Programme of Action and provide support to Regional Economic Communities.

It was against this background that the African Union Commission, Ecowas and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction organised the three-day synergy to enhance the capacities of journalists in covering disaster-related issues in a manner that does not cause panic but rather engenders information dissemination, enabling communities and policymakers to take preventive measures to avoid or reduce the impacts of disasters.

One of the key priority areas identified in the strategy is the need to create awareness on disasters and their economic, environmental, social and cultural impacts on the society as a whole. It also addressed the lack of knowledge and understanding as well as the skills of the trained journalists to report effectively on disaster reduction and response issues.