The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), represented by its Director-General, Engineer Abdelrahim Suleiman, took part in the 63rd General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 30 October to 3 November 2026.
Held under the theme “Media for Peace and Humanity: Truth, Trust and Transformation,” the event brought together representatives from 225 media organisations across 66 countries. The opening ceremony was attended by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The General Assembly programme featured a series of meetings, professional forums and specialised sessions addressing key challenges and developments shaping the broadcasting and media industries. Discussions focused in particular on rapid technological advances, the growing impact of artificial intelligence, the spread of media disinformation, changing content consumption patterns and declining public trust in certain media outlets.
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Celebrating Media Excellence and Cultural Diversity
The General Assembly also featured cultural events, including the ABU Awards, which celebrate excellence and creativity in radio and television production, with ASBU Director-General Engineer Abdelrahim Suleiman taking part in presenting awards to the winners.
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Another highlight was the 15th edition of the ABU Song Festival, which showcased musical performances reflecting the diverse cultures and artistic traditions of the Asia-Pacific region. The Festival celebrated cultural diversity while promoting closer ties, mutual understanding and communication among peoples.
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Strengthening Cooperation Between ASBU and ABU
The General Assembly provided an important international platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise among media leaders, representatives of member organisations and partners. It also offered an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and further develop joint initiatives between regional broadcasting unions.
Cooperation between the Arab States Broadcasting Union and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union has expanded in recent years, particularly in the field of news exchange. A key milestone in this partnership was the agreement signed on 21 October 2025 at ASBU headquarters in Tunis, between ASBU Director-General Engineer Abdelrahim Suleiman and ABU Secretary-General Engineer Ahmed Nadeem.
The agreement aims to enhance news content exchange between the member organisations of both unions through ASBU's ASBUVISION platform and ABU's ASIAVISION NEWS EXCHANGE platform.
It also enables member organisations to access news materials available through both platforms, with the possibility of editing or translating the content in accordance with mutually agreed guidelines.
This initiative is expected to broaden the reach of Arab news across the Asia-Pacific region while strengthening the presence and visibility of Asian media productions among Arab broadcasters.
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