OANA XVIII General Assembly
Minutes of the XVIIl general Assembly
Participants (in alphabetic order):
Anadolu (Turkey), Antara (Indonesia), Azertac (Azerbaijan), Bakhtar (Afghanistan), Bernama (Malaysia), Bta (bulgaria), Faapa (Ivory Coast), JiJi Press (Japan), Irna (Iran), Khovar (Tajikistan), Kuna (Kuwait), Kyodo (Japan), Mna (Iran), Montsame (Mongolia), Nina (Iraq), Nna (Lebanon), Ona (Oman) Pna (Philippines), Rossiya Segodnya (Russia), Rss (Nepal), Sana (Syria), Tass (Russia), Tna (Thailan), Trend (Azerbaijan), Vna (Vietnam), Xinhua (China), Yonhap (South Korea) and others.
Opening:
In the beginning of the meeting OANA secretary General Mr. Joonseung Lee welcomed participants to the OANA XVIII General Assembly and confirmed that a quorum was present. He highlighted Yonhap's efforts to enhance cooperation during its presidency from 2019 to 2022 and noted the sixtieth anniversary of the Yonhap news agency in December 2021. The participants approved amendments to the statute and supported IRNA's presidency. There were no objections to IRNA's leadership.
Mr. Kiril Aleksandrov Valchev , President of News Agencies World Congress and DG of the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) in his remarks emphasized the need for a balance between information and human rights, urging OANA members to keep their morale and deliver true news. Mrs. Barry Sana Oumou , the first president od FAAPA and DG of the Ivorian News Agency (AIP) also spoke at the General Assembly as a guest participant.
Mr. Ali Naderi, the new president of OANA in his opening remarks, spoke about expanding cooperation among member agencies over the next three years. He encouraged OANA to take a more active role in light of global changes and hoped for strengthened ties among independent media networks. Mr. Hyeonjun Kim OANA President, Yonhap Managing Director in his opening address, welcomed participants and thanked Mr. Naderi for the warm reception in Tehran.
49th OANA EBM Agenda:
The agenda for the 49th OANA Executive Board Meeting was approved through voting on amendments to the statute. The minutes from the previous meeting were also approved.
2022-2025 OANA Vice-Presidency:
Four agencies were approved for the vice-presidency for 2022-2025. Anadolu and Xinhua received equal votes, so they will jointly serve as vice presidents. Yonhap will also hold the position as the last president.
Presidency of OANA in 2022-2025:
Participants voted to elect the next rotating president of OANA, self-nominated by Tass and Xinhua. Tass news agency was elected as the next president.
2022 OANA Awards:
Two female journalists from Anadolu and Tass news agencies were awarded.
2022-2025 Executive Board and Technical Committee members:
The Executive Board and Technical Committee members for 2022-2025 were approved by member agencies.
Tehran Declaration of OANA:
The Tehran Declaration of OANA outlines key points regarding media responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Member agencies will continue to share experiences and adapt to new conditions using modern technologies. They reaffirm commitment to OANA's statutes and objectives, ensuring decisions are made through both in-person and virtual meetings. OANA members aim to cooperate against fake news and enhance the credibility of their reports. They recognize the audience's right to accurate information and will not let political influences affect their reporting. OANA will work to maintain normal activities and overcome obstacles to cooperation among media agencies. Member agencies respect international norms and do not intend to threaten national sovereignty.
50th Executive Board Meeting:
The 50th Executive Board Meeting took place after the 18th General Assembly, led by the new President (IRNA). The new president thanked Yonhap for its previous leadership and appointed Mr. Mansour Falsafi as the new Secretary General. The Anadolu News Agency expressed readiness to host the 51st EBM meeting, with details to be shared via email from the OANA Secretariat.
