Mogadishu, Somalia — September 9, 2026: The Somali Media Women Association (SOMWA) participated in the National Strategic Communication Forum 2026, a two-day national forum held in Mogadishu on September 7–8, 2026, and organised by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia.
The high-level forum brought together senior government officials, representatives of the United Nations and international partners, media professionals, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to discuss strategic communication, information integrity and Somalia’s rapidly evolving information landscape.
Representing SOMWA, Maryan Seylac, Executive Director of the organisation, participated as a panellist in a discussion on information integrity in the digital age.
During the panel discussion, Seylac emphasised the importance of accurate information, responsible journalism and effective verification mechanisms in building public trust.
“Trust starts with accurate information, responsible journalism and strong verification.”
Seylac highlighted that information integrity is fundamentally about ensuring that people can trust the information they receive. She stressed that this requires a media environment supported by free and independent journalism, reliable facts, effective verification and the public’s right to know.
“Information integrity is about making sure people can trust the information they receive, supported by free journalism, reliable facts and the public’s right to know,” Seylac said.
She further stressed that Somalia’s efforts to address the growing challenges of misinformation and disinformation must not come at the expense of freedom of expression, press freedom or independent journalism.
“Somalia must fight disinformation and misinformation without fighting free expression and independent journalism,” she emphasised.
Over the two-day forum, participants discussed the challenges and opportunities facing Somalia’s information environment, including the need to strengthen strategic communication, improve information verification, promote responsible digital communication and enhance the capacity of media and communication professionals.
The discussions also underscored the importance of ensuring that initiatives aimed at addressing misinformation and disinformation respect freedom of expression, media independence and fundamental civic freedoms.
SOMWA’s participation reflects its continued commitment to promoting press freedom, responsible journalism, women journalists’ rights and safety, and access to accurate and reliable information in Somalia.
The conclusion of the National Strategic Communication Forum 2026 provided an important platform for government, media, civil society and international stakeholders to exchange perspectives and identify ways to strengthen Somalia’s information environment while protecting freedom of expression and the independence of the media.
