HACA Cites Bias and Lack of Balance in “Irregular Immigration” Coverage

The High Authority for Ivorian Audiovisual Communication (HACA) has formally cautioned France 24, the French international news channel, regarding a report titled The Taboo of Irregular Immigration, aired on March 11, 2025. The Ivorian media regulator expressed serious concerns about the reportS content, alleging biased and unbalanced coverage that could perhaps damage the image of Côte d’Ivoire and undermine the government’s efforts to address migration issues.

Specific Objections to the France 24 Report

In a detailed communication to France 24’s management, HACA outlined several key areas of contention:

• Economic Disparity Claims: HACA disputes the report’s assertion that the benefits of Côte d’Ivoire’s economic growth are limited to a small elite, creating a stark divide between rich and poor wiht a negligible middle class. HACA argues this is an oversimplification and inaccurate. According to recent World Bank data, while income inequality remains a challenge in Côte d’Ivoire, the middle class is expanding, representing a notable portion of the population.
• Informal Economy Exaggeration: The regulator challenges the claim that 80% of the Ivorian economy is informal. While the informal sector is significant in many African nations, including Côte d’Ivoire, such a high figure is deemed misleading.
• Misleading Visual Representation: HACA criticizes the use of a photograph of a house in Abobo,a district of Abidjan,to represent the overall living conditions in Côte d’Ivoire,suggesting it unfairly portrays widespread poverty and slum conditions.
• Oversimplification of Immigration Causes: the report is accused of presenting a simplistic view of irregular immigration, linking it solely to unequal economic growth distribution. HACA argues that the causes of immigration are far more complex and multifaceted. Factors such as political instability in neighboring countries, the search for better opportunities, and environmental pressures often play a significant role.

Lack of Ivorian government Perspective

A central criticism leveled against France 24 is the alleged failure to include the perspective of Ivorian authorities responsible for migration issues. HACA points out that the report featured interviews with a victim of immigration, a potential migrant, a representative from an anti-immigration association, and the director of the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII) in Abidjan. However, it lacked any input from Ivorian government officials, creating an unbalanced narrative.

The Haca also surprises that the reporter reporter, who would have stayed in Côte d’Ivoire, did not deem it necessary, as commanded by the ethics of her profession, to propose the point of view of the Ivorian public authorities and has only been satisfied with the opinions, which, moreover, suggest that the Ivorian authorities are inactive and indifferent to the phenomenon of irregular immigration and the population and in total indigence.

Warning Issued and Call for Greater Vigilance

Given the perceived severity of the shortcomings, HACA has issued a formal warning to France 24, urging the channel to exercise greater vigilance in its future coverage of Côte d’ivoire. This action follows similar warnings issued by other nations in the region, highlighting a growing sensitivity to how international media portrays African countries and their challenges.

Context: Media Scrutiny in the Region

This incident occurs amidst heightened scrutiny of international media outlets operating in West Africa. Several countries have recently taken steps to regulate or restrict the activities of certain news organizations, citing concerns about biased reporting, misinformation, and a lack of respect for national sovereignty. Such as,in 2024,Mali suspended several french media outlets for allegedly publishing false data. These actions reflect a broader trend of African governments seeking greater control over the narrative surrounding their countries.