The Khartoum Process Special Thematic Event “False Promises, Incomplete Truths: Information Quality and Decision-Making along Migration Routes” took place on 14 April 2026 in Paris, under France, outgoing Chair of the Khartoum Process. Held back-to-back with the 25th Steering Committee and the 14th Senior Officials’ Meeting, the event provided a dedicated space for dialogue among representatives from African and European partner countries, the African Union and European Union, international organisations, academia, and civil society.
Structured around two interactive sessions following high-level opening remarks, the event enabled exchanges on the role of information in shaping migration decisions along the Horn of Africa–Europe route.
Information Ecosystems and Decision-Making Under Constraint
Discussions highlighted how migrants rely heavily on social media, messaging applications, and peer networks to access information on routes, risks, and opportunities, within fragmented and often contradictory information environments. A key takeaway was the need to move beyond assumptions of information scarcity, recognising that migrants actively navigate uncertainty by assessing credibility across multiple, often unreliable sources. Migration decisions were widely acknowledged as rational responses shaped by structural pressures, personal aspirations, and perceived opportunities, underscoring the key policy challenge of understanding how information is interpreted, trusted, and acted upon, rather than focusing solely on its accuracy.
Addressing Misinformation and Strategic Disinformation
The exchanges also examined the distinction between misinformation and disinformation in migration contexts, noting that while some inaccurate information circulates organically, smuggling and trafficking networks deliberately deploy disinformation as part of structured business models, strategically adapting their messaging to enforcement changes to sustain demand, build trust, and influence behaviour.
As a result, responses must go beyond traditional awareness-raising and include targeted approaches combining law enforcement, digital monitoring, and protection-sensitive interventions, while carefully ensuring that essential communication channels for migrants are not disrupted.
Additionally, the European External Action Service further highlighted the increasing instrumentalisation of migration narratives within broader patterns of foreign information manipulation, including coordinated disinformation campaigns and false promises amplified through digital and social media as part of wider hybrid and geopolitical strategies.
Narratives, Aspirations, and the Role of Diaspora
Broader narratives about life abroad, often shaped by diaspora networks and online platforms, were identified as key drivers of migration aspirations, sometimes creating unrealistic expectations, even when migrants are aware of the risks involved. Participants emphasised the need for more balanced and credible narratives, including through strengthened partnerships with diaspora actors, media engagement, and locally grounded communication strategies reflecting the complexities of migration experiences.
From Information Campaigns to Information Ecosystems
A strong consensus emerged that providing accurate information alone is insufficient to influence behaviour, requiring a shift towards a more systemic understanding of information ecosystems. Trust was identified as a key determining factor, with migrants often relying more on informal networks than official channels, thereby limiting the impact of traditional messaging. Participants therefore emphasised the need to embed credible information within existing trusted networks, alongside enhancing digital investigation capacities, and fostering partnerships with media and online platforms. These efforts should also be aligned with broader measures addressing structural drivers such as inequality, insecurity, and limited opportunities.
In this context, the African Union stressed “Addressing misinformation and distorted narratives requires a twofold approach: improving the quality, accessibility, and reliability of information through cooperation with communities, diaspora networks, and digital platforms, while rebalancing global narratives on African migration to better reflect its realities, contributions, and opportunities beyond a sole focus on risks.”
Strengthening Dialogue within the Khartoum Process
By bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, the discussions in Paris enabled the exchange of experiences and practices and fostered a more nuanced understanding of how information ecosystems influence migration dynamics and responses. They underscored that information is not a secondary factor, but a structural element in migration processes, closely intertwined to issues of trust, vulnerability, and disinformation, and supported collective reflection on more coherent and adaptive responses. Its outcomes will inform future activities under the Khartoum Process, reinforcing its role as a forward-looking, evidence-based, and inclusive forum for Africa–Europe dialogue and cooperation.
