{"id":86972,"date":"2026-08-22T12:30:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T12:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/?p=86972"},"modified":"2026-08-25T12:58:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T12:58:45","slug":"imctc-launches-media-for-peace-initiative-in-somalia-to-counter-extremist-propaganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/2026\/08\/22\/imctc-launches-media-for-peace-initiative-in-somalia-to-counter-extremist-propaganda\/","title":{"rendered":"IMCTC launches \u2018Media for Peace\u2019 initiative in Somalia to counter extremist propaganda"},"content":{"rendered":"
Saudi-backed initiative strengthens Somali media capacity to combat hate speech, disinformation and terrorist propaganda in the digital sphere<\/em><\/h6>\n

MOGADISHU:<\/strong> With the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the presence of senior Somali government, security and military officials, the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) has launched its strategic \u201cMedia for Peace\u201d initiative in Mogadishu to strengthen national media capabilities in countering extremist rhetoric, hate speech, disinformation and terrorist propaganda.<\/p>\n

The initiative seeks to enhance the role of media as an active partner in protecting national security, promoting social peace and building community resilience against extremist ideologies, particularly in the rapidly evolving digital environment.<\/p>\n

The launch was attended by Somali Minister of Defense and Commander of the Somali Army Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, IMCTC Secretary-General Major General Pilot Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, along with the ministers of Justice, Security, and Religious Endowments and Affairs, the Minister of State for Ports and Maritime Transport, the Head of the National Security Office, the Chief of Police, the Head of the Prisons Service, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Head of National Intelligence and Security, and other senior officials and counterterrorism figures.<\/p>\n

The high-level participation underscored the strategic importance of media in contemporary counterterrorism efforts, as extremist organizations increasingly exploit digital platforms to disseminate propaganda, manipulate information, polarize societies, recruit followers and promote hate speech.<\/p>\n

As part of the initiative, the IMCTC is conducting a specialized training programme, \u201cAnalyzing Extremist and Hate Speech in Digital Media: Tools and Techniques for Smart Countermeasures,\u201d for 40 participants drawn from journalists, media professionals, academics and specialists working in fields related to counterterrorism.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Addressing the launch ceremony, Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi stressed that combating terrorism cannot be confined to military and security measures, emphasizing the need for responsible and informed media discourse capable of countering disinformation, polarization and extremist propaganda while promoting moderation, coexistence and social cohesion.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He described the media as a national partner in protecting Somalia\u2019s security and strengthening social peace, while commending the role of the Saudi-led IMCTC in developing national capabilities, training qualified media professionals and enhancing the counterterrorism capacity of member states.<\/p>\n

He reaffirmed Somalia\u2019s commitment to collective efforts against terrorism and to addressing its intellectual, media and financial sources in order to strengthen security and stability.<\/p>\n

IMCTC Secretary-General Major General Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi said the launch of \u201cMedia for Peace\u201d in Somalia represents an extension of the Coalition\u2019s approach to translating counterterrorism cooperation into practical programmes that build national capabilities and support societies in confronting extremist ideology and rhetoric.<\/p>\n

He noted that terrorist organizations are increasingly operating beyond the traditional battlefield, using digital and media platforms to spread disinformation, manufacture propaganda, influence public opinion and facilitate recruitment and radicalization.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis makes professional and informed media professionals a crucial first line of defense in the fight against terrorism,\u201d the IMCTC Secretary-General emphasized.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Al-Moghedi explained that the initiative seeks to transform media professionals from passive transmitters of information into active practitioners equipped with the skills required to analyze, verify, detect and counter extremist content.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The training covers digital verification and open-source intelligence, image and video analysis, content-distribution analysis, identification of fake accounts and automated bots, discourse and textual analysis, detection of coordinated influence operations, and network and link analysis.<\/p>\n

Participants are also being trained to understand the psychological and societal impact of extremist and hate speech, develop evidence-based interventions, formulate effective counter-narratives and alternative narratives, and promote media and digital literacy and community resilience.<\/p>\n

The IMCTC Secretary-General emphasized that counterterrorism is a battle of awareness as much as it is a battle of security and action, stressing that investment in the capabilities of media professionals represents a direct investment in the resilience of societies against extremist ideology and attempts at intellectual and media infiltration.<\/p>\n

He also commended the Somali government\u2019s cooperation and support in implementing IMCTC programmes and initiatives, reaffirming the Coalition\u2019s commitment to working with member states and partners to strengthen national capabilities, exchange expertise and advance integrated counterterrorism efforts across intellectual, media, military and counter-financing dimensions.<\/p>\n

The \u201cMedia for Peace\u201d initiative reflects the IMCTC\u2019s broader approach to developing a sustainable counterterrorism framework that addresses not only the consequences of terrorism but also the ideological and media tools that enable extremist organizations to spread disinformation, polarization and recruitment narratives.<\/p>\n

By placing media, awareness and professional communication at the heart of counterterrorism efforts, the initiative seeks to strengthen societal resilience, reinforce security and stability, and empower journalists and media professionals to make truth, informed awareness and responsible journalism effective instruments for peacebuilding.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Saudi-backed initiative strengthens Somali media capacity to combat hate speech, disinformation and terrorist propaganda in the digital sphere MOGADISHU: With the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the presence of senior Somali government, security and military officials, the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) has launched its strategic \u201cMedia for Peace\u201d initiative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":86973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-diplomacy","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86972"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86977,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86972\/revisions\/86977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}