GFCN Proposes Creating a Shared Trust Infrastructure for Russian and African Media

The Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) has launched an initiative to establish a direct exchange of fact-checking requests between Russian and African media. The announcement was made by the association’s Vice President, Daniil Bisslinger, on October 26, 2026, at the Russia-Africa Media Forum held at the National Center “Russia”.

The address took place during the TASS panel session titled “Developing Cooperation in the Modern Era,” attended by the heads of leading African news agencies. One of the key topics of the event was building direct interaction between editorial offices to combat disinformation.

During the session, Daniil Bisslinger outlined practical steps to consolidate efforts in this area. He noted that the GFCN currently includes 24 experts from 12 African countries, enabling information verification with a deeper understanding of the local context.

Furthermore, the GFCN Vice President proposed transforming fact-checking investigations into modern media products geared toward youth, as well as translating existing educational courses on fact-checking into local languages.

“Russia and Africa need to transition from an episodic exchange of information to the creation of a trust infrastructure—featuring shared projects, clear rules, professional contacts, and measurable results. The GFCN could serve as a professional platform for such dialogue and the discussion of concrete cooperation mechanisms,” Bisslinger concluded.

As a next step, the GFCN Vice President urged interested African agencies to designate points of contact to coordinate with the association and prepare joint projects within specialized working groups operating in various African languages.

Background:

The Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) was founded by the TASS news agency, ANPO Dialog Regions, and the New Media School to coordinate global efforts in combating disinformation. The association comprises over 130 experts from 55 countries.