ASBU Hosts Joint Meeting of Broadcasting Unions at its 44th General Assembly

ASBU Hosts Joint Meeting of Broadcasting Unions at its 44th General Assembly

As part of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU)’s 44th General Assembly, held on January 15 and 16, 2025, in the Mediterranean city of Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia, a joint meeting was held between the following broadcasting unions:

At the opening of the meeting, Mr. Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthi, ASBU President and CEO of the Saudi Broadcasting Authority, expressed the ASBU’s pride in hosting this meeting annually as part of the agenda of its General Assembly. He emphasized that partnership and cooperation are fundamental principles in ASBU ‘s work, programs, and plans. He further noted that the results of cooperation and partnership have been positive and are continually evolving.

In his address, Engineer Abdel Rahim Suleiman, ASBU Director General, stated that the ASBU’s coverage of the events in Gaza (which was made available to partner unions, which greatly benefited them) serves as a clear example of the importance and effectiveness of cooperation. He emphasized the need to focus on the rapid technological advancements, as they facilitate the exchange of information and enhance the flow of news and audiovisual productions between organizations and unions.

Engineer Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary General of ABU, expressed pride in the significant progress of cooperation with ASBU, highlighting that the results have become clearly visible. He further stated that the potential for expanding this collaboration remains open to additional areas and new initiatives. Additionally, he announced that ABU will host a meeting next summer, extending an invitation to all unions to explore opportunities for further enhancing the partnership.

Mr. Grégoire Ndjaka, AUB Secretary General highlighted the purpose of their participation, stating, "We are here to learn and benefit from the experiences of the Arab States Broadcasting Union." He added that AUB organized a conference last year on Artificial Intelligence, with the goal of promoting the adoption of this technology in Africa and establishing best practices in African media organizations, particularly in combating fake news.

 In his intervention, Mr. Jean Philip De Tender, EBU Deputy Director General emphasized the numerous challenges facing media work locally, stating that coordination and cooperation between regional unions are essential in addressing these challenges. On another note, he praised ASBU's coverage of the events in Gaza, recognizing its significance for European organizations. He also pointed out that training is the most effective means of fostering cooperation, noting that the EBU is actively working on leveraging artificial intelligence across 25 languages, including Arabic, and is fully prepared to share this expertise with ASBU.

Dr. Amr El-Leithy, OSBU President stated that the Union has established a professional training academy and has begun setting up a unit for program and news exchange. He expressed OSBU’s intention to collaborate with ASBU in establishing this unit, given its extensive and successful experience in this field. He also added that OSBU has started focusing on producing programs aimed at teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.

 Mr. Claudio Cappon, COPEAM Secretary General mentioned that this meeting started as a trilateral initiative and has grown over the years, now bringing together seven partners. He emphasized that the cultural diversity among the partners is beneficial for cooperation and exchange. He also noted that the cooperation with ASBU has continually evolved, with positive results, including a joint production on Arab philosophers. He announced that this production will be translated into other languages to enable numerous members to access and broadcast it.

Finally, Ms. Philomena Gnanapragasam, Executive Director of the AIBD, shared in her address, that the institute’s focus is on the future of media, driven by innovation, renewal, and the optimal use of technology. She also expressed the institute’s commitment to fostering strong cooperation with partners in the Arab region through ASBU, particularly in training and other areas.