KUNA chief commends FANA meeting findings

KUNA Board Chairman and Director General Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah lauded here on Monday the outcomes of the 41st Conference of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), which wound up here earlier in the day. Speaking to KUNA on the meeting, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij voiced satisfaction with the results of the event achieved thanks to the efforts exerted by Saudi Press Agency (SPA) President Abdullah Bin Fahad Al-Hussein to ensure the success of the gathering. He thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting this conference, which coincided with the Fourth International Conference of News Agencies, hailing it as a source of pride and pleasure for all the GCC member states. He urged Arab countries to set up new bodies that could contribute to the rectification of the Arab image at international forums, and to defend the religion of Islam. Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij thanked the FANA member states for approving Kuwait's bid for hosting the 43rd FANA conference due in 2015. The request was tabled by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) out of its belief in the significance of promoting and beefing up pan-Arab media cooperation, especially at the level of news agencies, he remarked. The FANA meeting has produced several positive outcomes that would lead to pushing forward coordination and cooperation among Arab news agencies, he noted. The gathering is of paramount significance to assessing the FANA's march, addressing challenges it is facing, enriching dialogue and interaction among officials, fleshing out visions for more cooperation, sharing experience and developing future blueprints and programs, he added. The KUNA chief said all the FANA member agencies are interested in supporting projects and plans purposed to develop mass media, promote creative professionalism, and boost the FANA's role in addressing relevant challenges and keeping up with stupendous media and information advancement. Hailing the existing level of cooperation among Arab news agencies, he stressed their significant role in cementing common Arab action and improving and revamping media services as well as offering reliable and objective news material. He concluded by regarding news agencies as the main source of information and news inflow in spite of the emergence of new types of media and communication, and urging Arab news agencies to upgrade their services in order to maintain their professional status and news value.