The AUB and the Emirates News Agency cooperate to enhance professionalism in the Media industry

An MoU was signed by the two parties against the backdrop of the 2nd Global Media Congress, in Abu Dabhi.

Thursday, 16th November 2023, the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Emirates News Agency (WAM). This marks the beginning of a strong relation between the two entities. The MoU was signed within the framework of the 2nd Global Media Congress held from 14 to 16 November 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

«In a world marked by a glut of content consumption, media professionals must work hard to satisfy the needs of their audiences. As information has become transnational data, we must diversify partnerships and sources of content provision», the AUB’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Grégoire Ndjaka said.

The MoU is signed ahead of the AUB’s upcoming Summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be held in 2024, in Cameroon.

Addressing the press on November 16 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), Mr. Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director General of Emirates News Agency and Chairman of the GMC Organizing Committee, underlined the importance of this New Deal: «The UAE is building a very strong relation with Africa. We have a lot of things in common.

The African Union of Broadcasting has an event coming soon. We will be happy and honored to be part of the gathering. We’ll also try to bring our contribution as Media Professionnals in terms of workshops and capacity-building. Africa is a very important place to us. We also feel very close to Africa. We have to continue working together to prepare the younger generation for future challenges», he disclosed.

The AUB - WAM cooperation kicked-off in 2022 with the participation of the Union to the very-first edition of the Global Media Congress. «Last year, we had just two African representatives at the Congress, this year, we are more than ten, our action is evolutive», Mr. Ndjaka declared. This MoU, he noted, will enable the two parties intensify cooperation in news and program exchange as well as Media Training.

Based in Abu Dhabi, the Emirates News Agency is part of the UAE National Media Council and has international offices in Islamabad, Brussels, Cairo, Sanaa and Washington. WAM is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council News Agencies, the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), the International Islamic News Agency, the Organization of the Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA). The Agency was established in November 1976.

Text: Irene GAOUDA

Images: Hicham ATTMANE

On Special Assignment in Abu Dhabi.