Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Public Works, Chairman of National Media Council (NMC) discussed in his office here today at afternoon with Giuseppe Cerbone, CEO, of Italian News Agency (ANSA) media cooperation between the UAE and Italy.
Sheikh Hamdan emphasised that the NMC was keen to enhance the media cooperation in the framework of distinguished ties between the UAE and Italy, indicating that Emirates News Agency (WAM) is prepared to benefit from the huge experiences and capabilities availed by ANSA to broadcast UAE news across the continents through its advanced news network.
The UAE minister referred to the huge development being experienced by WAM regarding work updating as per the world class standards to broadcast the country’s news to the world. “WAM has managed so far to strike partnerships with a number of GCC, Arab, Asian, European and American agencies by signing 42 memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements with them to further develop technical and human resources capabilities”.
For his part, Cerbone stressed during the meeting significance of cooperation with NMC through the agreement signed with WAM, adding that the Italian News Agency (ANSA), which has about 8 million media subscribers worldwide, is determined to promote ties with WAM through exchanging training of journalists and technicians’ programmes, as well as exchanging expertise in the areas of editing and technology.
He expressed his pleasure for visiting the UAE, indicating that the UAE has witnessed major developments in many fields that made it a tourism destination for tourists and businesspersons from Italy, Europe and rest of the world.
Director General of NMC Ibrahim Al Abed and Giuseppe Cerbone, CEO of ANSA signed the cooperation agreement between the two agencies. The deal aims to exchange news and consolidate communication with different active social and cultural institutions at the local and regional levels, and develop information technology systems in the best interest of two sides.
It also calls for setting up a joint permanent work group to develop ideas and specify joint cooperation initiatives. The agreement will develop media cooperation between the two news agencies.
Present were Gabrielle Champ, Director of International Relations at ANSA and a number of NMC officials.
The NMC hosted a dinner at Emirates Palace in honour of CEO of ANSA, Italian Ambassador to UAE Giorgio Starace and a number of NMC officials