Ateny Wek Ateny, Minister of Information, Communications, Technology, and Postal Services addressing national media conference on December 16, 2025. Credit: Eye Radio/Awan Moses

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) — The Minister of Information, Communication Technology, and Postal Services, Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny, has pledged to turn anti-hate speech resolutions into government policy.

Hon. Ateny Wek Ateny delivered these remarks during the official closing of a three-day national media conference in Juba.

The event drew a diverse group of stakeholders, including state information ministers from all 10 states and three administrative areas, civil society representatives, academia, members of the organized forces, media managers, and journalists.

The conference, held under the theme “Beyond the Painful Divides,” addressed the urgent need to combat misinformation and strengthen social cohesion. The summit concluded with a unanimous call for “civility” to become the cornerstone of national discourse.

Addressing a diverse audience of state ministers, journalists, and civil society, Hon. Ateny emphasized that while the Constitution protects freedom of expression, that right must be exercised with deep social responsibility.

The Minister announced that the Ministry of ICT, alongside the Media Authority, will now move to study and institutionalize the concrete solutions proposed by delegates from South Sudan’s 10 states and three administrative areas.

“As government, we stand by these national obligations to ensure that these ideas are studied, adopted, and institutionalized,” Hon. Ateny stated. He highlighted several key resolutions, including:

• Professional Standards: Expanding training on journalism codes of conduct beyond the national capital.

• Civic Education: Integrating “peace education” into the national school curriculum.

• Government Transparency: Mandating timely press briefings during sensitive periods to prevent the spread of rumors.

• Grassroots Outreach: Utilizing local languages to educate the public on the dangers of divisive rhetoric.

In a reflective moment, the Minister used cultural metaphors to explain the power of language. He challenged the audience to look beyond linguistic backgrounds—whether English, Arabic, or local dialects like Dinka—to find common ground.

Hon. Ateny spoke of the “cattle camp” as a “university in Dinka society,” where exposure and traditional wisdom shape identity. He used this to illustrate that language is a tool for connection, not a reason for cruelty.

“Civility is the opposite of cruelty,” the Minister remarked. “When you talk with civility, the person you are talking to will give you the best out of him or her. But when you are rude, you block the roads.”

The Minister was clear that the government cannot win the fight against hate speech alone. He called on journalists, faith-based leaders, and ordinary citizens to be “peacemakers” in their daily lives.

“Peace must be spoken into existence,” he urged. “Unity must be communicated into our communities, and cohesion must be practiced in our words and actions.”

He stated that as the year draws to a close, the Ministry announced plans to take these workshops to the regional level in the coming year.

Hon. Ateny confirmed that the Pibor Administrative Area will be the first to host the regional tour, followed by Abyei, as the government seeks to decentralize the fight against misinformation.

The three-day conference was supported by the Media Authority, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), and the Government of Canada.