Hussain, President of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) and President of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), delivered a speech in which he welcomed Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Press Agency, and the participants. "First of all, I want to thank Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja for opening 41st General Assembly of the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA) in addition to his continuous support for the FANA activities," Al-Hussain said. "Our federation achieved important steps and effective cooperation among Arab news agencies and positive participation in the regional and international forums and conferences in addition to establishment cooperation relations with international organizations and commissions. Our conference, with this important agenda and topics, is a new station for what have been achieved during the recent period and to define features of the coming period," Al-Hussain added. "Our meeting coincides with the Fourth News Agencies World Congress (IV-NAWC) to be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tomorrow. I would like to inform you that the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) exerted great efforts for preparations of this international conference. The SPA provided all potentials and appropriate atmosphere in order to ensure the conference's success and achievement of its objectives. As Arab news agencies, we have to participate effectively in the works of this international conference reflecting the status our Arab institutions and bodies," the SPA president stressed. "We witnessed, in this phase, media variables and developments in addition to a huge revolution in the field of communication technology as well as exchange and flow of information which force us to work hard in order to keep pace with these developments and changes," Al-Hussain added. " I would like to tell you that the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), especially after it is transferred into a public commission, has worked in accordance with plans and programs and achieved many steps at the level of the new media and modern media developments in addition to improve its capabilities, develop human cadres and strengthen its position as a main source for news. With taking what is new in the world of media and its techniques, the "SPA" remains committing the principles of journalism, ethics, credibility and objectivity," Al-Hussain added. --More 22:43 LOCAL TIME 19:43 GMT تغريد
