ALICANTE - SPAIN, June 10, 2014
(WAFA) – The Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) handed over on
Tuesday the presidency of the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN) to
the Spanish News Agency during its 23rd Assembly General conference in the city
of Alicante, in southeastern Spain.
During the session, Chairman of WAFA
board of directors Ali Hussein handed over the AMAN presidency to Jose Antonio
Vera, head of the Spanish News Agency.
One year ago, WAFA was given the
presidency of AMAN during its 22nd session which was held in Ramallah in the
West Bank.
The WAFA delegation to the AMAN
Assembly General annual session included, besides Hussein, Nawwaf al-Hamed,
Deputy Chairman of WAFA board of directors.
In his speech to the conference,
Hussein called for boosting relations among the member agencies, stressing that
the region has witnessed big changes, which makes our role more difficult and
increases responsibilities for us.
“For decades, the Mediterranean
witnessed many wars and political and economic troubles. The rise of many
economic super powers in the globe pushes the Mediterranean states to
strengthen the European neighborhood policy, said Hussein.
He referred back to the establishment
of AMAN in 1991, few weeks following the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid,
saying that time has come for the member news agencies “to be more engaged in
the Union for the Mediterranean (UFM).”
Hussein, on behalf of WAFA News
Agency, expressed thanks to the Spanish News agency for choosing the city of
Alicante, whose name is a flagrant symbol of the Mediterranean dialogue of old
and new civilizations, for the conference. He also expressed wishes of success
to Vera in his new responsibility.
To be noted, the conference schedule
includes seminars on communications, public diplomacy, migration and innovation
in the presence of officials representing the member news agencies.
AMAN will also hold an award
ceremony on the sideline of the conference to honor the best picture and the
best article.
M.N./T.R.
