FANA's 51st General Assembly Conference Concludes With Focus On Media Cooperation And Future Initiatives

The 51st General Assembly Conference of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) wrapped up on Monday, hosted by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). The event focused on enhancing collaboration, updating workflows, and ensuring the future of Arab media. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Acting Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM) and current President of FANA, chaired the conference alongside Fatma Al-Salem, Vice President and Director-General of KUNA.

Participants included directors-general and heads of Arab news agencies or their representatives. The Secretariat-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council attended as an observer. Discussions were held about scheduling the 52nd General Assembly session in Kuwait for the last quarter of 2025.

KUNA proposed several initiatives during the conference. These included a specialised children's media literacy bulletin, an AI journalism bulletin, and a news verification observatory. Additionally, there was a suggestion for Arab news agencies to contribute to KUNA's magazine during special occasions.

The continuation of the joint economic newsletter through 2025 was approved. Each agency will periodically contribute to this Economic News Unit. This initiative aims to strengthen economic reporting across Arab news agencies.

The General Assembly reviewed a workshop on building economic media reports. It highlighted its role in enhancing skills among personnel in Arab news agencies. A recommendation was made to hold another workshop and encourage staff participation in annual seminars organised by the Secretariat-General to improve work quality.

An environmental bulletin initiative by the Secretariat-General was approved to start in early 2025. This bulletin will be modeled on existing ones, with data shared with specialised sections within news agencies for inclusion in their bulletins.

Strengthening Public Relations

A study session on marketing and public relations was recommended to build strong relationships between Arab news agencies and bridge gaps within the Federation. A summary report titled "Lecture on the History and Concept of Public Relations" was distributed for review and discussion at a future session.

The importance of visiting European and international news agency headquarters was emphasised to foster development in media practices. Such visits are seen as crucial for learning from global counterparts.

Sustainable Development Training

The Assembly reviewed a report on a specialised course prepared by the Secretariat-General aimed at enhancing Arab journalists' skills in sustainable development. This aligns with decisions made by the Arab Ministers of Information Council.

The Secretariat-General has been asked to resend invitations for a training workshop scheduled for 2025 on the Arab Media Map for Sustainable Development 2030. This workshop is part of ongoing efforts to integrate sustainable development goals into media practices.

With inputs from WAM