Moscow: 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.
According to Qatar News Agency, 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 highlighted OANA's role in building a sustainable media community and shaping the future of the information space in the region amid rapid transformations in the media sector.
Three panel discussions were part of the forum's specialized program, focusing on approaches to countering disinformation and fake news, the use of Artificial Intelligence in media, and strategies for maintaining quality in information content. In a video message, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized OANA's importance as a regional platform for professional dialogue, contributing to honest and independent journalism.
Lavrov pointed out the growing demand for reliable and unbiased information alongside interest in diverse perspectives. He stressed efforts to develop common approaches to counter fake news, hoping for dialogue between OANA and the Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) to support these efforts, leading to new joint initiatives and strengthened respect and trust.
TASS Director General and OANA President Andrey Kondrashov underscored the importance of cooperation among member news agencies built on trust, which disinformation undermines. He highlighted OANA's role as a platform for developing common standards through dialogue, thus strengthening cooperation among member agencies and enabling them to address media landscape challenges more effectively.
A significant development at the forum was 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. This agreement aims to develop 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 related news, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) was chosen 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 in Moscow. VNA General Director Vu Viet Trang affirmed the agency's readiness to support OANA's development and participate in joint initiatives aimed at strengthening the organization's role and enhancing cooperation among its members in the digital era.
Representatives of the news agencies are scheduled to participate tomorrow in the international "Dialogue about Fakes 4.0" forum, featuring 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 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 announced an expansion in the membership of the Technical and Ethics Committees and the completion of technical updates to OANA's website.