Egypt’s prime minister, Moustafa Madbouli, has called on the country to “build a strong societal shield against the spread of rumours and misinformation”.
Madbouli, who has been prime minister since 2018 and serving under Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, made the comment in a news release published yesterday by the Egyptian State Information Service. In the release, Madbouli endorsed a report into misinformation published by Osama al-Azhari, minister of Awqaf, which oversees religious endowments.
According to the news release, Awqaf’s campaign into misinformation aims to promote “authentic values and moral conduct throughout Egyptian society”, as well as equip the public with “accurate knowledge and a critical understanding of misinformation”.
The report highlighted that the ministry has recognised the role of digital media as a “major vector for rumour spread”, and has created its own presence on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Telegram and WhatsApp.
Additional reported efforts to tackle rumours and misinformation have included community awareness initiatives through its own media platforms, as well as calling on the religious community to use “educational efforts”, such as sermons and lectures in mosques.
Awqaf has also established regional online advocacy units, and has run workshops and training sessions nationally for imams and female preachers.
Azhari confirmed that the ministry will extend its current (Correct Your Concepts) campaign for another year to address social issues that include “rumours”, drug abuse, violence against children, bribery and vandalism, pornography addiction, financial fraud “and undermining national values and spreading pessimism”.
African Arguments (backed by the Royal African Society) and The Guardian have both reported on the clampdown on ‘fake news’ by al-Sisi as a way of controlling political dissent.
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