The ICRC is concerned about the consequences of the disinformation campaign of which it was the victim in 2020. The International Committee of the Red Cross was in 2020 the target of a disinformation campaign developed by an Israeli influence agency, presumably at the request of the government of Burkina Faso at the time. It’s a revelation from the Forbidden stories collective.
The investigation of Forbidden Storiesan international investigative media collective, questioned a column published by Emmanuel Dupuy in which the “researcher” denounces the discussions that the humanitarian organization may have with jihadist groups.
► Read also : In Burkina Faso, how the ICRC would have been the target of a manipulation campaign
► Read also on the ICRC website: the humanitarian consequences of misinformation
At the microphone of David Bacheof the Africa editorial staff, Patrick Youssef, ICRC director for Africa, reacted strongly.
” The ICRC takes the issue of disinformation very seriously. Indeed, it can have serious consequences for the people we are simply helping. For humanitarian organizations like the ICRC to do their work safely, the trust of all stakeholders and especially communities is essential. And in this case, if the perception of our work changes and is fueled by false information propagated online or offline, obviously aid workers can quickly find themselves unable to move, to provide vital aid. »
We maintain our neutrality, assures Patrick Youssef. ” We have not yet seen the impact of this publication, but it is clear that the ICRC has always acted in complete transparency, especially with the authorities. We take a neutral and unbiased approach. By working with all parties to an armed conflict, we do not take sides, we maintain our neutrality and impartiality and we ensure that for people residing in areas controlled by armed groups, their needs are well taken care of.. »