Nicolas Boissez, Operations Director at the Fondation Hirondelle, discusses the organization’s experience operating in conflict zones for the past 30 years, including areas that have become what some may consider “forgotten conflicts.” This interview delves into the impact on local populations, the foundation’s funding and balance, the need to maintain operations, and the importance of advocacy. It highlights the ongoing challenges the foundation faces and underscores the critical need to guarantee access to information, even when media attention is lacking.
Q: In which contexts is the Fondation Hirondelle active, and do you consider some of these to be “forgotten conflicts”?
The Fondation Hirondelle is currently operating in 11 crisis or protracted conflict zones, including the Sahel (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso), Central Africa (DRC, CAR), Ukraine, and Myanmar. These contexts—particularly in the Sahel, the Central African Republic, and Myanmar—often fade from international headlines, especially with ongoing crises in the Middle East and Ukraine. However, I’m cautious about using the term “forgotten conflict.” On the ground, there are numerous humanitarian organizations, development agencies, international missions, and journalists—when they are not expelled by local authorities. For example, although the Central African Republic receives little media attention, it still benefits from substantial development aid, such as support from the European Union, and hosts a UN peacekeeping mission. While these conflicts may be forgotten by global public opinion and Western leaders, they are not forgotten by local and international actors.
Q: Do these fluctuations in media attention influence international funding?
Yes, since its inception, the Fondation Hirondelle has observed that funding tends to shift toward emerging or intensifying crises. Recently, the war in Ukraine or the situation in the Middle East led to a reallocation of funds toward these regions, sometimes at the expense of contexts like the Sahel or Myanmar. In some cases, we’ve faced significant reductions in funding. For example, in the Central African Republic, there were times when very few donors supported our local media outlet, Radio Ndeke Luka, the most listened-to radio station in the country. The foundation had to use its own funds to sustain operations, which weakened our financial stability.
Q: How do you respond to these variations in support?
We aim to manage these fluctuations responsibly. When funding increases, we cautiously expand activities related to our core mission of information, such as combating misinformation or promoting media literacy. Conversely, when funding decreases, we scale back our spending while maintaining an essential “core program” to ensure the population continues to receive information. For example, in Niger, after several international donors withdrew in 2024, we had to reorganize our Studio Kalangou project in 2025, keeping the core focus: producing journalism in the country’s five most spoken languages.
Q: What methods does the Fondation Hirondelle use to raise awareness about these conflicts?
We rely on our expertise and journalistic output. Our goal is to amplify voices from the ground through testimonies and local productions. We also collaborate with international networks like the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) to strengthen the impact of our advocacy. We recognize that decision-makers have limited attention, which is why we target key interlocutors, such as representatives from Swiss Cooperation, the European Union, or UN agencies, providing them with field data and analysis. Recently, the EU Special Envoy for the Sahel visited our project in Mali, and we continue to contribute concrete insights to his thinking. These efforts help anchor information issues within international priorities, even when media attention shifts elsewhere.