BNA director-general participates in OANA’s 44th Executive Board Meeting

Hanoi, Apr. 19 (BNA): Director-General of the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Abdulla Khalil Buhejji, has participated in the 44th Executive Board Meeting of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), held here today. Buhejji affirmed BNA’s keenness to participate in such meetings aimed at consolidating regional cooperation among news agencies, as well as enhancing coordination among them in a way that would facilitate news exchange, highlight their activities and pave the way for the exchange of expertise that would develop their work, cope with the latest developments in their work and take full advantage of technology in ensuring that news and images reach the public as quickly as possible. BNA chief asserted that holding the OANA meetings reflects the distinguished relations among the member states. “The Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the support of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and backing of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, has maintained fruitful international relations, in line with its openness to various countries of the world, which embodies its constant keenness to re-affirm its status at the regional and international arenas,” he said. “In BNA, we are implementing the directives of the Information Affairs Minister, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi, to strengthen relations with the news agencies of GCC, Arab and friendly countries, and to constantly develop the role of BNA in delivering its services,” he added. The meeting, hosted by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), focused on several main topics, including strategies of news agencies to deal with the changes in information use, especially regarding video clips, countering fake news, fact-checking news and regaining trust in traditional media. OANA’s 44th Executive Board Meeting, themed “For professional and innovative journalism” discussed news agencies’ way of dealing with fake news, as well as OANA’s activities. The meeting also approved the draft amendment to OANA’s by-law, which will be submitted it OANA’s general assembly, to be hosted by Seoul, South Korea, in November. News agencies’ development experiences were also highlighted during the meeting. Established in 1961 in Bangkok, based on a UNESCO initiative, the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies includes 44 news agencies from 35 countries.