The General Assembly of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) held its fortieth ordinary session today, January 13, 2021, with the participation all the member corporations, as well as a significant number of heads and representatives of broadcasting unions, regional and international professional organizations. The session was chaired by ASBU President and the Assistant Undersecretary for the Press Sector at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, Muhammad Abdul-Mohsen Al-Awash, in addition to the ASBU Director General, Eng. Abderrahim Suleiman. For the first time in the history of ASBU, this session of the General Assembly met remotely, using the Zoom application, due to the preventive measures imposed by the Corona pandemic on the entire world.
In his opening speech, Mr. Al-Awash emphasized the prominent role of ASBU in the Arab media arena, which is based on two permanent pillars, namely the ASBU’s keenness to ensure that the media activity it undertakes is one that unites and does not separate, brings closer and does not divide, regardless of all differences. ASBU also seeks to enhance its professionalism and role in the Arab, regional and international media landscape, through cooperation and a series of partnerships with various unions and professional media organizations from different regions of the world.
Engineer Abdel-Rahim Suleiman pointed out in particular that, "We meet in these exceptional and difficult circumstances that all humanity is going through, due to the continued outbreak of the Corona pandemic in various parts of the world. It caused heavy losses in life, paralyzed activities and disrupted countries' economic cycles ». He added that ASBU sought, with all its energy and through all its executive and technical departments, to be an effective support for its member corporations.
In particular, the General Assembly discussed the most prominent features of ASBU’s activities and projects implemented during the past year, as well as its work program for 2021 in various fields of activity, and took many decisions regarding them.
It is expected that on January 14, and within the activities tied to the current session of the General Assembly, a professional debate will be held on the theme "Media in the Time of the COVID 19 Pandemic: Checks and Balances", in the presence of all participants in the General Assembly and a number of Arab and foreign experts and specialists.
The General Assembly represents ASBU’s supreme legislative body and has all the powers to ensure the achievement of its objectives. It is composed of all active, participant and associate member corporations. It holds its regular sessions once a year. As for the ASBU Executive Council, which also held its 104th session on January 11th, it assumes all the powers of the General Assembly between its two regular sessions and takes the necessary decisions in this regard.