RAMALLAH, July 9, 2026 (WAFA) – The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States announced the commencement of a series of preparatory meetings for the 56th session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, scheduled to take place on September 14–15, 2026, in Tripoli, Libya.
Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector, Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, said he meetings will focus on strengthening solidarity with the Palestinian people and promoting the Palestinian narrative internationally, including preserving the historical and legal status of Jerusalem through an open and effective media strategy.
It will also address efforts to promote a culture of peace, rejecting violence and discrimination, and showcasing the civilized image of the Arab world. The meetings will involve various stakeholders, including states, organizations, professional associations, and civil society institutions.
He added that the meetings are being held in accordance with the directives of Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy, with the aim of injecting greater dynamism into the system of joint Arab action. This will contribute to developing the Arab media landscape through a participatory approach and integrated institutional performance among member states and the General Secretariat.
The preparatory meetings will begin on July 12 at the Arab League headquarters, where specialized working groups will draft recommendations for submission to the Permanent Committee for Arab Media and the Executive Office ahead of the ministerial session.
He noted that the agenda includes following up on the implementation of the resolutions of the 55th session, held in Cairo in November 2015, in addition to evaluating the "Media Action Plan Abroad," and holding the 29th session of the Permanent Expert Group on the Role of Arab Media in Combating Terrorism.
Khattabi emphasized the importance of completing the work of the team tasked with negotiating with international media companies, considering this a pressing priority for establishing clear and transparent frameworks for dealing with these companies. This will enhance Arab digital sovereignty and protect cultural identity and heritage, stressing the integrated nature of these efforts across their media, legal, and tax dimensions.
He added that the meetings will also include a meeting of the team concerned with the executive program of the Arab Media Roadmap for Sustainable Development, and the 23rd session of the Standing Committee for Electronic Media, which will work on preparing a draft Arab model law and regulating the work of influencers and digital content creators, as well as discussing the project to establish the “China-Arab Exchange Center for Audiovisual Innovation.”
The meetings are scheduled to begin on July 12 and 13 with the 10th session of the Arab Media Excellence Award jury, with the participation of representatives from the current presidency of the Council of Arab Information Ministers (Syria), the presidency of the Executive Bureau (Kuwait), the vice-presidency of the Executive Bureau (Islamic Republic of Mauritania), the award’s sponsoring country (Kuwait), and Rabat, the Arab Media Capital for 2026 (Kingdom of Morocco), in addition to five other member states listed alphabetically.
The current edition of the award is themed: “Arab Media and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges.”
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