40th FANA Conference Begins
Manama, Dec.26 (ONA)—Samira Ibrahim bin Rajab, the Minister of State for information Affairs, official spokesman of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, opened in Manama today the 40th Conference of the General Assembly of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) organized by the Bahrain News Agency and lasts for two days.
Oman News Agency (ONA) is represented in the conference by Qais bin Ibrahim al-Farsi, Editing Manager.
The Bahraini minister said in her address that information has become a weapon more dangerous than before, and that Governments need this weapon to support the development of their countries and defend their achievements in the face of new regional and international challenges.
She emphasized the importance of this Conference to exchange views and promote cooperation and development of joint action between various Arab news agencies, in the light of the important developments taking place in the information and communication sector regionally and internationally, and the emergence of new news sources and stiff competition of global news agencies and electronic means of communications.
For his part, Ahmed Sa’ad al-Buainain, Director General of Qatar News Agency, President of FANA pointed out that holding of the Conference comes under wide events and changes which directly affect the information process and the institutions of joint Arab action.
Dr. Farid Ayar, Secretary-General of FANA referred to the leading role of FANA in building an international system for the defence of news agencies and journalists, named ” the International Conference for News Agencies”, and includes more than 120 Agencies, saying that its 4th Conference will be held in Riyadh in 2013, upon an invitation from the Director-General of the Saudi News Agency, praising at the same time the announcement by the Bahraini Minister of State for information Affairs that Bahrain will host the third world Information Summit in 2014.
The 40th FANA Conference discusses issues related to the development of Arab news agencies, through the conducting of training courses, seminars and participation in the Arab and international meetings and allocating awards for best website, report and picture, and following -up the steps towards releasing the “Joint Arab Economic Bulletin ” along with organizational, technical and financial Affairs.
—Ends/MN/FS