Welcome!
Context:
Disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) landscape is constantly evolving, with new techniques, tactics and procedures, as well as new tailored narratives across the Eastern neighbourhood and Central Asia. Russia’s manipulation of the information environment is prominent and has further increased during Russia’s invasion on Ukraine. Robust disinformation campaign that has been launched in parallel to the invasion proves that it is paramount to step up the response to address these challenges across the region.
Within the European External Action Service, the East Stratcom Task Force (ESTF) has been monitoring, analysing and responding to pro-Kremlin disinformation since 2015, gaining substantial experience and insights and raising awareness about them, also making efforts to deepen the understanding of the mechanics behind Russia’s information manipulation and interference in the Eastern neighbourhood and its impact on the EU. Nevertheless, the landscape is constantly evolving, and state actors other than Russia are also increasing their presence in the region – as well as beyond.
EEAS and East Stratcom Task Force have been working intensively to raise awareness and build resilience against disinformation in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. Nevertheless, a lot remains to be done, not only in the Eastern Partnership region, but also beyond. Central Asia is an example of a region where the foreign information manipulation in the information environment will gain pace, given the recent political and geopolitical developments. This region has not been under the scope of the ESTF’s activity so far. With the event described below, the ESTF intends to understand better the scope of foreign information manipulation and interference threat also in Central Asia as well as map the civil society stakeholders, broaden the network of cooperating organisations and establish links between them and the partner organisations in Eastern Partnership region.
Against this background, the knowledge and understanding as well as skills of recognizing and proportionally responding to disinformation and foreign information manipulation and information needs to be refreshed, broadened and deepened regularly. The ESTF’s seven years’ experience shows that the best results are achieved by connecting with experts working with this topic in the field, discussing range of responses to disinformation and sharing lessons learned.
In particular, East Stratcom Task Force plans to invite 60 representatives of civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders for a two-day capacity-building event in Brussels consisting of panel discussions, a set of workshops, knowledge and best practices sharing experience.
Goal:
The overarching goal of the event is to build resilience and strengthen capacities to address the challenge of foreign information manipulation and interference in the regions of Eastern Partnership and Central Asia.
It falls under the framework of the EU’s Action Plan Against Disinformation1 of December 2018 and the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP)2 of December 2020 and the Strategic Compass3.
Specific Objectives:
1. Better understanding and exchange of views on the foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) landscape, challenges and work conditions of experts, journalists, researchers and activists in Eastern Partnership countries and Central Asia.
2. Mapping of the civil society stakeholders active in the field of tackling FIMI in the Eastern Partnership and Central Asia regions.
3. Broadening of the network of cooperating organisations, establishing links between them, enhancing knowledge sharing and best practices in view of further cooperation in tackling FIMI.
4. Knowledge sharing by the East Stratcom Task Force, Stratcom Division and other stakeholders on the EU institutions’ side, including EU delegations of the region.
5. Creation of a guidebook with recommendations for a flexible, effective and tailor-made response to address FIMI in the EaP and Central Asia regions.
[3] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/strategic-compass-security-and-defence-1_en
Contact Information
SUMISLAWSKA Katarzyna (EEAS,) via Katarzyna.SUMISLAWSKA@eeas.europa.eu
Registration
Please complete the online registration form by 4 May 2022, to confirm your attendance. Once registered on the website, you will receive a confirmation email within a few working days. Please consult the website regularly to view any updates.
Ms. Vira Grygorenko
Project Manager
M +32 473 17 11 04
vira.grygorenko@cecoforma.com
Register
Registration is open until 4 May 2022.
The participation is subject to approval of the EEAS.
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