Best Practice Highlight: Pre-Informing and Pre-Bunking
Case Study of Successful Counter-Disinformation Practice in Preparation of CTBTO Integrated Field Exercise 2026
BRIEFING NOTE | October 2026
Public communication on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) On-Site Inspection (OSI) Integrated Field Exercise 2026 (IFE26) demonstrates how pre-informing and pre-bunking can mitigate chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) misinformation and disinformation.*
IFE26 replicates an actual OSI, deploying international surrogate inspectors, protective equipment and specialised instruments. Given limited public familiarity with nuclear verification, these elements may be interpreted as indications that Namibia is under formal investigation or that a nuclear incident has occurred. Such narratives could generate public concern, undermine trust in the exercise and its organisers, and distract from IFE26’s purpose of strengthening nuclear-test verification. The CTBTO and Namibian authorities therefore proactively informed the public about the exercise and clarified its technical and institutional nature.
Open-source research conducted through September 2026 identified no evidence of a coordinated or sustained misinformation or disinformation campaign targeting IFE26.† The absence of a prominent false narrative may illustrate the value of pre-informing and pre-bunking, offering an example for other organisations planning CBRN-related activities.
Pre-informing is the practice of providing clear information about an event which may or may not happen as soon as there are warning signs. By providing easily digestible factsheets explaining key terms, facts and skills in interpreting scientific literature, the public can more easily engage with official and scientific literature, enabling people to identify potential disinformation and misinformation.
Pre-bunking refers to the act of addressing or refuting potential false or misleading rumors before an individual is exposed. This involves educating people about common tactics of deception or manipulation, encouraging critical thinking, and engaging target
audiences.
WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED THROUGH PRE-INFORMING AND PRE-BUNKING?
| PRE-INFORMING | |
|---|---|
| PURPOSE | EXAMPLE |
| Explains the basic facts before the exercise begins | What IFE26 is, where it is, when it happens, who will participate4, 7 |
| Explains why the exercise is important | Officials from the CTBTO clarify that IFE26 tests CTBTO’s ability to investigate a suspected nuclear test explosion and improve OSI readiness, for when the Treaty enters into force, as well as to reduce the risk of misinterpretation regarding the purpose of this exercise4, 7 |
| Explains why Namibia was selected | Namibia’s CTBT commitment, International Monitoring System (IMS) facilities, Erongo geology, infrastructure and national interest, such as reputation and revenue8, 9, 10 |
| Prepares residents for unusual sights | Foreign equipment, white protective clothing, tents, fieldwork and security convoys11 |
| PRE-BUNKING | |
|---|---|
| PURPOSE | EXAMPLE |
| Anticipates likely false interpretations | Clarifies that IFE26 involves no nuclear materials, no explosions, no radiation, no hazardous materials, no harm to people or the environment9, 12 |
| Prevents misunderstanding of sovereignty or inspection status | Namibia is hosting the exercise, not being inspected11 |
HOW ARE PRE-INFORMING AND PRE-BUNKING BEING DISSEMINATED?
| DISSEMINATION CHANNEL | ACTIVITY | FUNCTION | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTBTO | Social media | Official CTBTO and Secretary General Dr. Floyd’s account have shared posts and videos showing IFE26 preparations4, 6 | Builds baseline understanding of what IFE26 is and why it is being conducted |
| Local media engagement | Practical workshop with Namibian journalists ahead of the exercise11 | Helps media report IFE26 accurately and avoid mistaken framing | |
| Official conference | CTBTO staff delivered a presentation on IFE26 and OSI capabilities at the CTBT: Science and Technology Conference 202513 | Provides technical information for the expert audience | |
| NAMIBIAN GOVERNMENT/ MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY (MME) | Social media | Reposts CTBTO material and shares national updates on IFE26 preparations7, 12 | Localises CTBTO messaging and reinforces ministry official explanations for Namibian audiences |
| Offline outreach | Public information sessions with local communities in areas involved in the exercise14 | Brings information directly to affected communities and pre-empts concerns about radiation, explosions, nuclear materials, and environmental harm | |
| MAINSTREAM/ LOCAL MEDIA | Print and online reporting | Afrikaans, English and German language coverage explaining IFE263, 11, 15 | Translates official information into public-facing news coverage |
A 2024 local precedent may explain the early investment in pre-informing and pre-bunking around IFE26. In 2024, a private Namibian company planned a radioactive source storage and handling facility for offshore oil exploration equipment in Swakopmund. Residents raised health and environmental concerns. Misinformation claimed that a hazardous radioactive facility already operated in the area, prompting the government to publicly debunk these claims.
This case suggests local sensitivity to narratives involving radioactive or nuclear-related activity, and a corresponding vulnerability to misinformation. If similar narratives take hold around IFE26, public concern could harden into resistance, making the exercise harder to roll out smoothly and weakening trust in both local authorities and the CTBTO. The IFE26 pre-informing and pre-bunking efforts likely sought to pre-empt a similar dynamic.
Conclusion
IFE26 was announced well in advance, with repeated informational messaging since. Publicly available information does not indicate significant local opposition. Given the exercise’s technical complexity and the local precedent, pre-informing and pre-bunking have likely been critical in preventing opposition and any false narratives from forming. These efforts do not guarantee that disinformation will not emerge, but they narrow the information gaps in which misleading narratives take hold and strengthen public resilience if any narratives emerge.
* CBRN disinformation is the deliberate creation and spread of false or misleading information about CBRN materials, technologies, capabilities or activities, including both peaceful and military applications. Definitively identifying disinformation can be challenging, as intent and attribution are often unclear. For brevity, this note adopts a broad definition of “disinformation” that includes other information operations, such as misinformation, as they mislead the audience and shape perception and behaviour.
† Research was primarily conducted in English, German, Afrikaans and Oshikwanyama/Oshindonga, with targeted searches in Otjiherero, Khoekhoegowab, Rukwangali and Silozi.
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REFERENCES
1 ‘Mitigating Disinformation – Countering WMD Disinformation’. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://gpwmdcounterdisinfo.com/policy-briefs/mitigating-disinformation/.
2 Nagar, Aishwarya, Vanessa Grégoire, Annie Sundelson, Emily O’Donnell-Pazderka, Amelia M. Jamison, and Tara Kirk Sell. ‘Practical Playbook for Addressing Health Rumors’. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, 2024 (updated May 2025). Accessed 23 September 2026. https://centerforhealthsecurity.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/2025-05-CDC-practical-playbook-v3.pdf.
3 Bowe, Rudi. ‘Namibia to Host Historic Global Nuclear Monitoring Exercise | Namib Times Newspaper’. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://www.namibtimes.net/namibia-to-host-historic-global-nuclear-monitoring-exercise/.
4 ‘Integrated Field Exercise 2026 (IFE26) | CTBTO’. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://www.ctbto.org/IFE26.
5 ‘Namibia to Host Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation’s Field Exercise | Namibia Economist’. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://economist.com.na/namibia-to-host-comprehensive-nuclear-test-ban-treaty-organisations-field-exercise/.
6 ‘Namibia to Host CTBTO’s Integrated Field Exercise in 2026 | CTBTO’. Accessed 8 September 2026. https://www.ctbto.org/resources/for-the-media/press-releases/namibia-host-ctbtos-integrated-field-exercise-2026.
7 Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME). ‘CTBTO IFE26 Exercise in Namibia with International Partners’. LinkedIn, 7 August 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ministry-of-industries-mines-and-energy_mime-ife26-namibia-activity-7491375009450364929-EGrM.
8 Brandt, Edgar. Namibia to Support Global Nuclear Test Verification Efforts – New Era. 25 November 2025. https://neweralive.na/namibia-to-help-confirm-nuclear-explosions/.
9 ‘Namibia to Host Major Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation Verification Exercise in 2026 – Informanté’. 26 December 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20251226171839/https://informante.web.na/?p=387095.
10 Taapopi, Selma. Namibia to Lead Africa in Major Nuclear Test–Ban Exercise. 2025. 02:56. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnFc6efwTqU.
11 Graig, Augetto. Namibië Is Gasheer van Kernkragtoetsverbod [Namibia Hosts Nuclear Test-Ban Exercise]. 12 May 2026. https://fliphtml5.com/jxto/Republikein_20260512_Combined-Ly7m/Republikein_20260512/.
12 Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy (MIME). ‘Namibia Hosts CTBTO Integrated Field Exercise IFE26’. LinkedIn, 10 June 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ministry-of-industries-mines-and-energy_mime-nuclearnonproliferation-ctbto-activity-7473076955760943105-TNL2.
13 Summers, Simon, and Andrew Bramnik. ‘On-Site Inspection Integrated Field Exercise in 2026 (IFE26)’. 10 September 2025. https://conferences.ctbto.org/event/30/contributions/6081/attachments/2820/5397/P4.5-546_SUMMERS.pdf.
14 Municipality of Walvis Bay. ‘Big Things Are Happening in Erongo!’ 17 June 2026. https://www.facebook.com/municipalityofwalvisbay/posts/-big-things-are-happening-in-erongo-information-sharing-session-did-you-know-nam/1345801214396135/.
15 Graig, Augetto. Erongo Übt Atomtest-Kontrolle [Erongo Practices Nuclear Test Monitoring]. 7 May 2026. https://fliphtml5.com/jxto/Allgemeine_Zeitung_20260507_Combined/Allgemeine_Zeitung_20260507/
16 Rengura, Renate. ‘Swakopmund Officials Debunk Rumors of Radioactive Storage Facility’. 2024. https://nbcnews.na/node/104893.
17 Hartman, Adam. ‘Swakopmund Community Ralliesagainst Plan for Radioactive Material’. The Namibian, 28 February 2024. https://www.namibian.com.na/swakopmund-community-ralliesagainst-plan-for-radioactive-material/.