The Kingdom wins the presidency of the Arab States Broadcasting Union for the third time

In a new achievement reflecting the leading position Saudi Arabia has attained in the regional and international media landscape, the Kingdom has won the presidency of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) for the third consecutive term, by unanimous vote of the member states. The elections resulted in the selection of Mr. Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthi, Chairman of the Saudi Media Forum and CEO of the Saudi Broadcasting Authority, as President of the Union, thus continuing to lead joint Arab media efforts during a period marked by significant challenges and transformations.

A rich history and a comprehensive umbrella for Arab media

This victory underscores the pivotal role of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), one of the oldest institutions of joint Arab action affiliated with the League of Arab States. Founded in Khartoum in February 1969 and headquartered in Tunis, the Union has aimed since its inception to strengthen cooperation among radio and television organizations in the Arab world, develop content, and exchange expertise and programs, making it the primary umbrella organization for official Arab media. The Kingdom's continued leadership of this organization is a testament to the great confidence Arab states place in the Saudi vision for developing this vital sector.

Vision 2030 and its implications for the media

This achievement cannot be separated from the comprehensive development drive the Kingdom is witnessing under the umbrella of Vision 2030, which has given special attention to the media sector as a tool of soft power and the most important means of conveying an accurate image of the region. In recent years, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority has witnessed significant leaps in infrastructure, digital transformation, and content creation, making the Saudi experience a model to be emulated and reinforcing the conviction of member states regarding the necessity of Saudi Arabia's continued leadership of the Union to ensure the continuation of the development and modernization process.

Thanks to the leadership and an emphasis on joint action

Following the announcement of his win, Professor Mohammed Al-Harthi expressed his deepest gratitude to the wise leadership – may God protect them – for the unlimited support provided to the media sector and media professionals in the Kingdom, enabling them to assume high-ranking leadership positions internationally. He also expressed his appreciation to His Excellency the Minister of Media, Mr. Salman bin Yousef Al-Dossari, praising his continuous support for initiatives that enhance the Kingdom's presence in regional forums.

Al-Harthi stressed that renewing confidence in the Kingdom for the third time places on them a double responsibility to continue the efforts made in previous sessions, noting that the next stage will witness a greater focus on investing in Arab human competencies, localizing modern technologies, and confronting the dominance of global media platforms by building an integrated and strong Arab media system capable of competing and protecting the Arab cultural identity.

The future of Arab media

The focus in the new session is on strengthening the mechanisms for news and program exchange between Arab countries, and developing unified strategies for dealing with digital media and artificial intelligence. These are files in which the Kingdom has proven highly efficient in managing locally, and seeks to transfer these experiences to the wider Arab space to serve the issues of the nation and the aspirations of its people.