Photo: Kuwait’s Undersecretary of Information Ministry Tareq Al-Mezrem

Kuwait emphasizes media’s role in fighting extremism

CAIRO: Undersecretary of Kuwait’s Information Ministry Tareq Al-Mezrem underlined the important role of Arab media in countering extremism and terrorism and in dealing with the rapid political development in the Middle East region. “Arab information ministers will discuss the role of media in immunizing people from the terrorist groups’ propaganda campaigns in their coming meeting, “ Mezrem said yesterday on the sidelines of the third ordinary session of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Information Ministers which convened at the Arab League headquarters. He pointed out that the Executive Bureau has approved the topic of “media role in promoting tolerance and fighting extremism”, to be on the agenda of the 46th meeting of the Arab Information Ministers tomorrow.

Mezrem added that today’s meeting tackled a wide array of key issues such as the Arab media strategy, role of media to defend the Palestinian cause, and Arab charter on media ethics. The meeting was also attended by a large number of Arab media officials including Secretar y-General of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) Fareed Ayar and Deputy Chairman of the FANA and KUNA Board Chairman and Director-General Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij Al- Ibrahim Al-Sabah.

Media strategy Addressing the event, Saudi Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Abdullah Al-Jasser said resolutions adopted by Arab ministers of information over the last years should be put in place. He mentioned in particular an Arab media strategy compiled by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism and extremism, calling for adopting appropriate mechanisms for implementing this strategy. An Arab media code of ethics should be put in effect in order to address regional challenges and risks, he requested. The Saudi official also stressed the significance of developing a USD- 21-million Arab media plan abroad. Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League for Media and Communications Haifaa Abu Ghazala said meanwhile that the league had worked out an executive plan and roadmap for the anti-terrorism Arab strategy. Arab media is now playing a significant role in monitoring the developments of the regional situation, especially regarding terrorism, he said. The agenda of the meeting includes 17 items, primarily Arab media issues and development mechanisms as well as the Palestinian issue.