Kuwait’s Minister of Information and Culture speaks at AMF

Kuwait’s Minister of Information and Culture stresses importance of having a unified media discourse in GCC at AMF 2024
Session held on Day 2 of the Arab Media Summit
Minister shares his insights on the positive role of media in promoting national unity and supporting sustainable development in the region

The 22nd edition of the Arab Media Forum, organised by the Dubai Press Club as part of the Arab Media Summit, featured a plenary session addressed by His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Information and Culture of Kuwait, during which he highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation in the media sector and fostering a unified media discourse among Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The session, titled ‘Kuwait’s Media: A New Media Era’, was attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Prime Minister of Yemen; His Excellency Jasem AlBudaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf; His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council; Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and Member of the Dubai Council, and other senior officials and dignitaries.

During the session moderated by Hiba Zaarour, TV Presenter from Dubai Media, His Excellency Abdul Rahman Al-Mutairi also shared his insights on the positive role of media in promoting national unity and supporting sustainable development in the region.

Touching on Kuwait's 2021-2026 media strategy develloped by his ministry, His Excellency said that the strategy aims to strengthen Kuwait's position as an economic, commercial, and cultural hub. It also seeks to promote the media sector through collaboration with public and private sector institutions, as well as engage creative thinkers, young media professionals, and academics across Kuwait.

Guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, the country’s media sector is advancing its development through a systematic strategy and community participation. This approach ensures the sector’s growth, sustainability, and the capability to face challenges, he said.

Elaborating further on Kuwait’s Media Strategy, he said it will include the launch of several projects and initiatives to enhance media development. He referred to an initiative called the 51 Digital Platform, named after the start of radio broadcasting in 1951 in Kuwait. He said the platform seeks to reflect the aspirations of talented youth and enhance Kuwait's regional and international standing in the digital space. The strategy also includes the launch of a news channel to convey the official voice and broadcast reliable information and news. Traditional media remains essential for reaching all segments of the population and enhancing communication among them, he said.

During the session, His Excellency pointed out that the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kuwait has taken numerous steps to integrate traditional and digital media. The Ministry has issued many licenses for digital platforms as part of its partnership with the private sector, aiming to enhance professionalism and objectivity in the media industry, he said.
GCC cooperation
As part of his participation in the region’s largest media gathering, HE Al-Mutairi also spoke about the importance of Gulf cooperation in the media sector, highlighting the need to unify the region’s media discourse and preserve the national identity of GCC countries. He also noted the productive collaboration between countries in the region in exchanging experiences and learning from successful media practices.

Regarding the upcoming joint projects among GCC countries in the media sector, he mentioned that Kuwait is working in collaboration with Gulf countries to develop plans to implement initiatives. Al-Mutairi said that Kuwaiti media seeks to communicate Kuwait's message globally and enhance coordination and cooperation, tackling challenges through a balanced media approach that prioritises common interests and reinforces national identity.