Premier's sponsorship reflects forum's importance: Jarallah

KUWAIT: Kuwait Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah (right) attends the final session of the Arab Media Forum. – KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah said that Kuwait and the Arab Gulf countries were determined to solve the crisis among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Thani visited Kuwait earlier on Monday and discussed with the officials "means of solving this crisis," Jarallah told reporters during the final session of the Arab Media Forum Monday night. "Everybody realizes the longer this division the deeper the wound will be in the Gulf body," he said. Jarallah said the US was exerting efforts to solve the crisis. He added circumstances were not yet ripe to hold a summit between the GCC and the US. He noted the summit might be held next September.

PM's sponsorship

Jarallah said meanwhile that His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah's sponsorship of 15th Arab Media Forum reflected its importance and vitality. Jarallah expressed content Kuwait was hosting Arab journalists to talk about "issues and problems of the region." He said media could play a major role in educating the public. Jarallah said social media was triggering revolutions and toppling governments, which made it impossible to control. Social media, he added, was also used as a launch pad to spread rumors.

Media credibility

Current and former ministers, and academicians, participating in the Arab Media Forum, underlined importance of credibility and professionalism in media. They said media were facing many challenges foremost credibility, professionalism, funding and training.

Mohammad bin Essa, former Moroccan foreign minister, said the human being was the main challenge facing media. He called for providing professional training for journalists as well as highlighting responsible freedom.

Nabil Al-Hamar, Bahraini King's media advisor, said social media lacked credibility and complained that "the majority of journalists are not qualified and not trained properly." The fabricated news published by the social media "is the big challenge we face in media," he said.

Special agendas

Dr Mohammad Al-Rumaihi, a Kuwaiti journalist, said media have special agendas and that he believed the main challenge was the training of journalists. Mahmoud Shammam, Libyan former Information Minister, said laws governing social media were outdated in the face of revolution of technology. Head of media network in Iraq Mujahed Abulhail said media played a great part in the victory against so-called Islamic State (IS).

Sudanese Deputy Premier and Information Minister Ahmad Othman the spread of social media has undermined freedom and responsible media. He called for the regulation of social media, as well as on state institutions to be credible and transparent. Bahrain Information Minister Ali Al-Rumaihi lamented failure of state officials in dealing with media or using social media. Rumaihi said the public should be educated on the use of media means. - KUNA