Somalia Calls for Active Arab Media Action to Expose Israeli Occupation Violations Against Palestinians

Cairo, November 4 (KUNA) -- Somali Minister of Media and Culture Abdi Fattah Mahmoud called for activating the Arab media action plan abroad to expose Israeli occupation violations against the Palestinian people, through the production of reliable, multi-lingual content. This came during a speech delivered by the Somali minister on Wednesday while presiding over the 56th ordinary session of the Arab Ministers of Media Council, attended by Kuwaiti Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Media and Culture Omar Al-Omar, who serves as the Executive Office Chairman of the Council, as well as Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy.

Mahmoud, upon assuming the chairmanship of the session from Syria, emphasized that the Palestinian issue remains at the forefront of Arab priorities, reaffirming his country’s steadfast support for the Palestinian people’s rights, foremost among them the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. He added that the Arab media responsibility entails documenting Israeli occupation violations, amplifying Palestinian voices, preserving their memory, defending journalists and their right to protection, and countering attacks on Arab states and violations of their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He pointed to the rapid transformations in the media landscape, which necessitate developing tools, enhancing credibility, and building Arab cooperation capable of confronting challenges and leveraging available opportunities. In the digital field, Mahmoud stressed the importance of the role of the Arab Committee for Electronic Media in developing Arabic content, exchanging expertise, strengthening fact-checking, combating misinformation, and advancing the preparation of a guiding Arab legislative framework to regulate digital media in line with technological shifts, safeguard rights, and consolidate professional responsibility. He also called for formulating a unified Arab strategy to engage with international media companies, ensuring fair treatment of Arabic content, transparency in publishing policies, protection of intellectual property rights, and the effectiveness of complaint and appeal mechanisms.

Regarding the fight against “terrorism,” Mahmoud clarified that Somalia’s experience has underscored the fundamental role of media in state-building, safeguarding sovereignty and national unity, and supporting reconciliation and peace. He considered that confronting “terrorism” requires a professional discourse that exposes methods of deception and recruitment, while strengthening public trust. He called for expanding the exchange of Arab expertise in countering “terrorist” propaganda, highlighting the voices of scholars, victims, and local communities, while avoiding coverage that re-disseminates messages of extremist groups or serves their objectives.

Mahmoud stressed the importance of implementing the Arab Strategy for Media and Information Literacy and enhancing cooperation between media and educational institutions to empower students and families to verify sources, understand content, and interact consciously with digital platforms. He affirmed the necessity of encouraging quality and professional excellence, expanding training programs in digital verification, data journalism, and occupational safety, and providing opportunities for young talents and media institutions operating under difficult conditions.

In the field of sustainable development, the Somali minister explained that implementing the Arab Media Map for Sustainable Development 2030 requires media that links policies to citizens’ lives, explains development opportunities and their outcomes. He called for joint media productions that highlight the potential of Arab countries in investment, the blue economy, sustainable tourism, and cultural industries, while preserving heritage and fostering mutual understanding among peoples.

He highlighted the importance of a unified Arab media strategy for addressing environmental issues, calling for the development of specialized media that supports early warning systems, simplifies climate knowledge, conveys reliable guidance, and highlights solutions and adaptation experiences in the face of climate change. Regarding artificial intelligence, Mahmoud said that these technologies offer broad opportunities in production, translation, and archiving, but they require the establishment of controls to safeguard credibility, privacy, and creators’ rights, while ensuring that editorial responsibility remains clearly human and that journalists receive training on professional transitions.

For his part, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy stressed that the convening of the session comes amid complex regional and international challenges, escalating tensions and conflicts, and their repercussions affecting the security of Arab states and the stability of their peoples. He emphasized the necessity of strengthening and developing Arab media action to confront these challenges. Fahmy called for intensifying media support for the Palestinian cause through a tangible, coordinated, and sustained effort in response to serious Israeli violations against the Palestinian people, including journalists and media professionals, thereby helping to mobilize international support for their legitimate rights and to realize their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also urged adopting a media discourse that responds to national building and development priorities, counters “terrorism” and misinformation, and promotes values of tolerance and moderation. He expressed his aspiration for a broader partnership with Arab media to highlight the League’s efforts and projects in economic, social, and developmental fields, alongside monitoring political issues.

Fahmy underscored the importance of media and information literacy in building generations capable of evaluating content, understanding its sources, and distinguishing between reliable and misleading information, while pointing to the opportunities that artificial intelligence offers for the media industry and the challenges it raises concerning deepfakes, privacy, and intellectual property.

At the conclusion of the opening session, Minister Omar Al-Omar presented Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy with a commemorative shield from the State of Kuwait, in appreciation of his support for the trajectory of joint Arab action. The winners of the 10th edition of the Arab Media Excellence Award, sponsored by Kuwait, were also honored in recognition of their contributions to serving Arab causes. (End) M.M. / N.A.A.