Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy commended Kuwait's leading role in consolidating Gulf Cooperation Council countries' media work.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the occasion of the 11th meeting for GCC news agencies' officials and directors, Dr. Al-Farsy stressed the importance of media gatherings in achieving better coordination. He also added that GCC efforts must be consolidated to further improve GCC [communication to and through] the media to develop clear plans for keeping up with media developments around the world.
Dr. Al-Farsy also commended KUNA's role as a developed media institution, as well as the role of the KUNA center for development of media skills and training in preparing employees with specialist skills, adding that KUNA has achieved a leading status among news agencies as a result of its keenness to enhance media abilities and skills. He added that KUNA's development emanates from a true desire to achieve its goals and is based on logical and objective principles.
Dr. Al-Farsy called for the working out of a GCC media strategy to unify GCC media messages on regional and international issues, as well as to coordinate roles in the light of political and media principles in each country. He said that the Islamic world is able to stand against foreign challenges, no matter how difficult they are, and can overcome negative media campaigns.
He called upon GCC media institutions to play a greater role in fighting terrorist operations. Dr. Al-Farsy also said that the media should take an implacable stand against these incidents as they are alien to the GCC, Arab and Islamic cultures, adding that these terrorist operations not only target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but also aim at destabilizing the world.
The minister also said that GCC coordination in the media sector is slow and still very limited, adding that it does not yet meet the GCC's aspirations. Dr. Al-Farsy stressed the importance of media cooperation to achieve unity in accordance with plans of the GCC.
