Kuwait (UNA/WAM) - Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Media Council, participated in the 28th meeting of Their Excellencies and Highnesses the Ministers of Information of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which was held yesterday evening in the sisterly State of Kuwait, with the participation of Their Excellencies the Ministers of Information of the GCC countries, and the attendance of His Excellency Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The UAE delegation included His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Media Council, His Excellency Mohammed Al Dhahouri, Executive Director of the Media Operations Sector at the National Media Office, and Her Excellency Maitha Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Media Strategy and Policies Sector at the Emirates Media Council.
At the beginning of his speech, the Chairman of the National Information Office expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister, and His Excellency Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, which reflects the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation among the GCC countries and affirms the solid relations between the peoples of the Arab Gulf states.
His Excellency also expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council for its distinguished efforts and excellent organization of the 28th session of the Information Ministers' Meeting.
His Excellency expressed his hope for the success of the meeting's work in presenting a roadmap for Gulf media that keeps pace with the comprehensive and sustainable development achieved by the GCC countries.
He said that from the very beginnings of the Gulf Cooperation Council's journey, a firm conviction crystallized among the founding leaders that what unites the peoples of the Gulf transcends geographic boundaries. It is an essential bond stemming from a shared history of shared roots, shared identity, and intertwined destiny. From this profound understanding emerged the idea of the Council, a translation of a collective will aimed at building a shared future based on unity and integration among our brothers.
During his speech, His Excellency stressed that the UAE believes that the media is a key partner in the development process, a catalyst for raising awareness, and a soft power for shaping the present and building the future. From this perspective, the UAE places enhancing media cooperation with the GCC countries at the top of its priorities, believing that our media integration is the guarantee of a unified Gulf voice, capable of protecting our gains, expressing our identity, and confronting challenges with a balanced and responsible discourse that reflects our reality and the aspirations of our peoples.
He emphasized that creating content that reflects our Gulf identity and expresses the authenticity of our societies is a strategic necessity, calling for efforts to build a media discourse that tells our story, highlights our rich diversity, and instills in our generations a sense of belonging and pride, thus strengthening our societies' resilience against attempts at distortion.
During his speech, His Excellency urged the need to provide a definition for those who deserve to be called media professionals, saying: “In light of the digital media boom, the influx of platforms, and the ease of access to publishing tools, media is no longer the exclusive domain of professionals. Rather, every person has become a potential media project, able to broadcast whatever they want across various social media platforms. This radical shift requires us, as officials, to redefine who a media professional is, not by formal capacity, but by role and responsibility, and by a comprehensive framework that distinguishes between free expression and professional media.”
His Excellency the Chairman of the National Media Office pointed out that, amid this digital expansion, it is imperative to combat unethical transgressions that distort the recipient's awareness and empty the media message of its noble values. Without this distinction, the truth is lost, interests are conflated, and the media message loses its ability to serve the causes of peoples and safeguard their intellectual and cultural security.
He added that, in this context, the UAE proposes establishing unified standards for media content across the GCC, binding on global social media platforms to ensure that all content published in the GCC countries is consistent with Gulf values and identity, and to prevent the publication of anything that conflicts with them.
He addressed the accelerating technological revolution the world is witnessing, noting that the future of media is no longer governed by the camera and the pen alone, but rather is conditioned by the ability to adapt to the artificial intelligence revolution, digital content transformations, and changing audience behavior. He emphasized that the Gulf states possess the resources and competencies that qualify them to lead the way in creating smart, globally influential digital media.
At the end of his speech, His Excellency Abdullah Al Hamed extended an invitation to attend the upcoming meeting hosted by the country, saying: “Just as hearts united in Kuwait, the land of love, we will meet tomorrow in the Emirates of giving, carrying the torch of our unified Gulf media. Welcome to the 29th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council Information Ministers, which the United Arab Emirates will host next year.”
The 28th meeting of the GCC Ministers of Information discussed topics on the agenda, most notably enhancing joint media work, coordinating Gulf media positions at international forums, countering targeted campaigns, and supporting media content that promotes Gulf identity and preserves societal values.
Their Excellencies the Ministers of Information of the GCC countries also discussed the recommendations of the various media committees that held their meetings recently under the auspices of the GCC. These committees included recommendations that fall within the framework of implementing the directives of the wise leadership of the GCC countries.
They reviewed ways to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of radio, television, and news agencies, as well as strategies for developing Gulf media and coordinating media efforts to promote the positive image of the GCC countries at the regional and international levels.
They reviewed the report of the Joint Program Production Institution and the report of the Gulf Radio and Television Corporation.
During the meeting, they also launched the pilot version of the joint Gulf News Agencies application for smartphones and tablets, which allows users to access official news directly from the GCC news agencies, watch live broadcasts of various Gulf radio and television channels, view photo and video archives, and follow each agency's social media networks.
The application was designed using the latest technologies and artificial intelligence. It provides a service for extracting data from various sources from news agencies in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and importing it into a unified database, enabling each country to access its own dedicated supervisory panel.
Artificial intelligence has also been employed in this application to provide distinguished media content that meets the needs of Gulf users and keeps pace with the rapid developments in the world of digital media. It will also contribute to enhancing cooperation and coordination between Gulf news agencies.
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