Strategic communication is one of the key tools supporting the implementation of Poland’s foreign policy priorities. These actions consist in deliberately and consistently shaping conveyed messages to build a reliable and positive image of Poland on the international stage. This type of communication also strengthens the society and foreign partners’ resilience to manipulation and disinformation that could threaten the safety, interests, and reputation of our country.

At the same time, the MFA actively counteracts disinformation understood as false or manipulated content that could harm Poland and its international position. The Ministry not only reacts to individual incidents but also undertakes long-term educational and information activities whose objective is to strengthen disinformation resilience, both in Poland and abroad.

The Department for Strategic Communications and Countering Foreign Disinformation is responsible for planning and implementing these actions. The Department conducts information campaigns, organises study visits for foreign journalists, and cooperates with Polish diplomatic missions. Embassies and consulates play a vital role in this process as they monitor the local information environment, identify threats, and counter them by adapting the conveyed message to the regional context. Thanks to their cooperation with local media, civil society organisations, and educational institutes, they promote reliable information and shape Poland’s image in the foreign public opinion. As such, diplomatic missions constitute the first line of defence against disinformation and are an important pillar of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ communication policy.

In 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs established the Council for Resilience to International Disinformation. The Council operates collectively, bringing together representatives of public administration, experts, non-governmental organisations, and academics. It is tasked with issuing opinions and recommendations as well as supporting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ efforts in the field of strategic communication and countering disinformation.

The MFA also actively participates in legislative work and European Union-level initiatives, cooperating with national and international partners. Poland takes part in the functioning of the EU’s Rapid Alert System (RAS) and promotes the establishment of the European Council for Resilience to Disinformation—an institution which would, in the spirit of the whole-of-society approach, monitor the EU’s information environment and counter external threats.

The Department cooperates with the Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Countering International Disinformation, coordinates the activities of the Interministerial Group for Counteracting Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference established by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, and represents Poland at international fora devoted to battling disinformation.

The network of Regional Centres for International Debate (RCIDs), coordinated by the Department for Strategic Communications and Countering Foreign Disinformation, is an important part of the strategic communication within the MFA. The main task of the RCID network is to promote debate on international issues and Polish foreign policy priorities at a regional level, with the active involvement of local communities. The Centres cooperate with local opinion-makers, non-governmental organisations, secondary and higher schools, and municipal governments.