Moscow, September 21 (QNA) - HE Director-General of Qatar News Agency (QNA) Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi participated today in a media forum held in the Russian capital, Moscow, to mark the 65th anniversary of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), with the participation of heads, officials, and representatives of a number of the organization's member news agencies.
The forum, hosted by Russian news agency TASS in its capacity as the agency currently holding the OANA presidency, discussed the future of media in the Asia-Pacific region, ways to build a sustainable media community, and enhanced cooperation among news agencies in addressing the growing challenges associated with the flow of information, technological development, and the spread of disinformation and fake news.
The forum featured a plenary session titled OANA: 65 Years of Experience. Building a Sustainable Media Community, the Organization's Role in Shaping the Future Media Landscape of the Region, with the participation of OANA officials and media and government figures.
Discussions during the session focused on OANA's role in building a sustainable media community and shaping the future of the information space in the Asia-Pacific region amid the rapid transformations taking place across the media sector.
As part of the forum's specialized program, three panel discussions were held on approaches to countering the spread of disinformation and fake news, the use of Artificial Intelligence in Media, and strategies for maintaining quality in information content.
In a video message to forum participants, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed the importance of OANA's role, saying that it had established itself as a regional platform for professional dialogue and had contributed over the years to strengthening the standards of honest and independent journalism.
Lavrov said the importance of this role was increasing at present, noting that global demand for reliable and unbiased information was growing alongside greater interest in diverse perspectives reflecting different cultures and traditions.
The Russian Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of the issues on the forum's agenda, particularly efforts to develop common approaches to countering fake news and disinformation. He expressed hope that dialogue between OANA and the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) would support these efforts and that the forum would lead to new joint initiatives and strengthen mutual respect and trust.
For his part, TASS Director General and OANA President Andrey Kondrashov said cooperation among the organization's member news agencies was built on trust, which in turn was based on information. He noted that disinformation undermined that trust and adversely affected stability, the ability to implement joint projects, and efforts to strengthen cooperation.
He stressed the importance of OANA serving as a platform for developing common standards through dialogue among its members on an equal footing, thereby strengthening cooperation among member agencies and enabling them to address the challenges facing the media landscape more effectively.
The forum witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between OANA and the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN), aimed at strengthening cooperation in fact-checking and verifying the reliability of information in the digital space, as well as developing joint efforts to counter disinformation and the spread of fake news.
The program also included a photo exhibition titled "History and Development: 65 Years of Information Exchange in the Asia-Pacific Region," showcasing the evolution of cooperation among OANA member news agencies over more than six decades.
In a related development, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) was selected to host the 59th meeting of the OANA Executive Board in Vietnam in 2027, following approval by participants at the 58th Executive Board Meeting held yesterday, Sunday, in Moscow.
VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang affirmed the agency's readiness to fulfill its role and responsibilities in supporting OANA's development and participating in joint initiatives aimed at strengthening the organization's role and standing and enhancing cooperation among its members in the digital era.
Representatives of the news agencies are scheduled to participate tomorrow, Tuesday, in the international "Dialogue about Fakes 4.0" forum, which will feature a plenary session, a joint OANA-GFCN panel on developing common approaches to countering disinformation, and a closing session.
HE Director-General of Qatar News Agency Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi also participated yesterday in the 58th meeting of the OANA Executive Board, which reviewed the organization's financial and technical reports and discussed several issues related to developing its work. The meeting also saw the announcement of an expansion in the membership of the Technical and Ethics Committees and the completion of technical updates to OANA's website. (QNA)
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