In a statement marking the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, Dieng said no genocide or mass atrocity begins with direct violence, but rather with language that dehumanizes and excludes targeted groups.

“Words can save lives, but words can also destroy them,” Dieng said. “No genocide, no crime against humanity, and no campaign of mass violence begins with the first bullet or the first victim. They begin with ideas. They begin with prejudice.”

He said the growing spread of digital platforms has increased the risk of misinformation and inflammatory narratives, allowing hate speech to spread rapidly across borders.

Across Africa, he said xenophobic violence and discriminatory rhetoric continue to threaten social cohesion and democratic stability.

“False information, inflammatory rhetoric, xenophobic narratives, ethnic scapegoating, and religious intolerance can spread across borders at unprecedented speed, threatening social cohesion and democratic stability,” he said.

Dieng warned that no society is immune from such risks, adding that attacks based on nationality, ethnicity or religion undermine African unity and shared values.

He called on governments to enforce the rule of law and ensure accountability, while urging political leaders, media organizations, technology companies, religious leaders and educators to play active roles in preventing hate speech.

“Governments must uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability. Political leaders must reject rhetoric that divides,” he said. “Media organizations and technology companies must act responsibly.”

He said youth should be empowered to promote inclusion rather than division, in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision of unity, dignity and peaceful coexistence.

“The Africa We Want cannot be built on fear, exclusion, and intolerance,” he said. “It must be built on mutual respect, shared citizenship, and recognition of our common humanity.”

Dieng said hate speech is not inevitable and can be prevented through dialogue, empathy and responsible leadership.

“The choice before us is clear: we can allow hatred to shape our future, or we can choose solidarity and our shared humanity,” he said. “Let us choose wisely.”