Today’s media battle is no less important than the arms battle

Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority, confirmed that the media battle today is no less important than the arms battle.

This came in his speech during the extraordinary meeting of information ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which was held today via video call, headed by His Excellency Dr. Ramzan Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Minister of Information of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Chairman of the current session, and with the participation of Their Excellencies and Excellencies the Information Ministers of the GCC countries.

At the beginning of his speech, he conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” to the attendees and his wishes for the meeting to succeed in achieving its goals.

Abdullah Al Hamed extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the sister Kingdom of Bahrain – the State of the Presidency – for their appreciated efforts in preparing for this meeting.

He said: “We meet today in this extraordinary meeting, at a delicate moment that our region is going through, testing the strength of our Gulf home and the solidity of our unity, a moment that calls for clarity of vision and integration of efforts, imposed by unity of destiny and dictated to us by the precise historical moment… We meet today to draw together the features of media sovereignty under exceptional circumstances to confirm that the media is an authentic partner in protecting stability and preserving the awareness of societies.

He added: “We meet today in light of the treacherous and blatant Iranian attacks that targeted our countries, violated their sovereignty and the security of their peoples, and violated the rules of good neighborliness and the principles of regional stability, as the UAE was at the forefront of those that captured the largest number of fires from this systematic Iranian aggression. While we condemn these attacks in the strongest terms of condemnation, we affirm with all confidence and ability that the missiles of aggression will not undermine the resolve of our leaders and will not dissuade our peoples from moving forward.” Construction… In this regard, we raise our heads with pride in the heroes of our armed forces in all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, who protect the homelands with their lives.”

Abdullah Al Hamed said: “Allow me from this podium to extend my salutations and pride to the heroes of our UAE Armed Forces, who embodied the highest meanings of vigilance and efficiency as they repelled hundreds of missiles and treacherous drones, turning the dust of the aggressors into scattered dust… These heroes write with their blood a message confirming that our sovereignty is a red line, and we are here to also confirm that the safety of the word and the maintenance of awareness are no less vital than the security of the field. If weapons protect the land, then the media “The responsible person is the one who protects the will and preserves sovereignty.”

He added: “In this regard, we turn, with hearts full of faith, and with the highest expressions of sympathy and loyalty, to the families of the victims and martyrs whose souls rose above the riches of our countries in the Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The blood of the people of the Gulf mixed with the blood of their brothers and friends from all over the earth who lived among us in peace, so in the moment of treachery they became partners in destiny as they were partners in building.”

He stressed that this crisis has revealed to us a dark side that cannot be tolerated, as paid channels and accounts have spread lies and promoted fabricated images, exploiting legitimate societal anxiety to inflame tension and distort the truth. He stressed that these accounts are not media, but rather electronic arms that complete what missiles failed to do.

He said: “Therefore, I call for the launch of a joint Gulf system to confront media misinformation based on three well-established pillars: intelligent monitoring to discover misleading information before it spreads, rapid refutation of the documented narrative that precedes and overpowers the falsehood, and immediate coordination between our media institutions.

He stressed that formulating a unified Gulf narrative is an existential necessity and a safety valve for the entire region, and said that the strength of our Gulf home is not measured only by the conformity of ideas, but rather by our ability to melt disparate visions in the crucible of a common destiny. Therefore, our unified media strategy for coordinating discourse in crises must start from the principle that a strong media is the first line of defense for the identity of nations and the sovereignty of decision-making.

He added that our media strategy in crises must move from reaction to event creation, through proactive media that possesses the tools of artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty, and addresses the world in languages ​​of truth to break the information siege.

He said that to this end, we are putting forward a number of practical initiatives that we see as basic pillars of our joint strategy, which are:

First: A firm and coordinated confrontation of media figures affiliated with member states who have used their platforms as a tool for sedition, division and abuse, by activating national deterrent mechanisms for any transgressions issued by these figures who deliberately sow division or harm the fabric of the single Gulf, in the belief that the word is trustworthy, and Gulf unity is a constant that cannot be tampered with.

Second: Collectively and decisively confront the phenomenon of anonymous accounts and targeted platforms. Through a comprehensive digital cleansing campaign that blocks and detects “electronic flies” that aim to falsify awareness and incite tension, while working to deprive these suspicious accounts of any influence through careful legal and technical follow-up and monitoring.

Third: Establishing a specialized Gulf center for monitoring and analyzing information, operating around the clock, equipped with the latest artificial intelligence technologies, monitoring disinformation moment by moment and issuing instant analyzes to support media decisions in the GCC countries.

Abdullah Al Hamed said that what we are building today in this hall goes beyond statements and recommendations; We are sending a clear message to the entire world that the Gulf possesses advanced media awareness, a solid collective ability to manage crises, and a responsible discourse that reflects the values of stability and peace that have always been a firm feature of this ancient region. Let us make this extraordinary meeting a real starting point, not a list of drawers, a starting point for consolidating a responsible media that builds, a wise media that unites, and a brave media that perseveres, and let us stand united in the face of everyone who dares to undermine the security and stability of our countries. Our peoples, let our destination remain one, our voice remain one, and our Gulf remain an impenetrable fortress through the awareness of its people and the wisdom of its leaders.

For his part, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said in his speech that the unity of the Gulf position has always been a source of strength for our countries, and that the extraordinary meeting of information ministers in the GCC countries today reflects the common awareness of the vital role of the Gulf media at this stage, through mobilizing and coordinating the Gulf media energies, and presenting a professional and responsible media discourse that embodies the positions of the GCC countries and confronts attempts at distortion and misinformation.

He added that today’s meeting is taking place in light of the dangerous developments taking place in our region, as a result of the brutal Iranian military escalation that targeted the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in a blatant violation of the sovereignty of our countries, and a direct threat to their security, stability, and the safety of their people. This requires a unified and firm stance from all of us at various levels, including joint media cooperation and coordination, and that it is the best way to confront the challenges, and the Gulf media today is more required than ever to live up to this responsibility. It should contribute to enhancing awareness, establishing confidence, and supporting the efforts of our countries’ leaders to maintain the security and stability of the region.

He stressed that the media’s role in such circumstances is not limited to reporting events, but rather goes beyond that to be the first line of defense against disinformation campaigns, confronting false information, and revealing the facts to regional and international public opinion, in a way that reflects the fairness of the position of the GCC countries and their permanent commitment to the principles of international law and respect for the sovereignty of states and good neighbourliness.

He expressed his aspiration that this meeting would contribute to coming up with a common vision and vision to enhance Gulf media work, develop practical mechanisms to deal with misleading media campaigns, and benefit from various traditional and digital media platforms to convey the voice of our countries clearly and credibility to the world.

He stated that during the meeting, the ministers expressed their rejection and condemnation in the strongest terms of the sinful Iranian attacks that targeted the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the accompanying dangerous and unprecedented attacks that targeted civilian objects, vital installations, infrastructure, residential areas, and private property, in a gross and blatant violation of the principles of international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, and in a way that represents a direct threat to the security and stability of the region and the safety of its people, stressing that the GCC countries retain their legal right to respond, in accordance with Article (51). From the Charter of the United Nations, which guarantees the right of self-defense for states individually and collectively in the event of aggression, and to take all measures to preserve their sovereignty, security and stability. They expressed deep pride and great appreciation for the efforts of the armed forces in all GCC countries to defend the security of their countries, preserve their sovereignty, and confront this aggression.

The ministers praised the pivotal role played by the security services and competent authorities in taking the necessary measures and measures to strengthen the security and stability system, ensure the safety of citizens and residents, and secure vital installations and facilities.

The ministers offered their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the martyrs who died as a result of the brutal Iranian attacks that targeted them while performing their national duty, in addition to the innocent civilian victims who fell as a result of these treacherous attacks in all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, asking God Almighty to cover them with His vast mercy, to make them dwell in His spacious paradise, to grant the injured a speedy recovery, and to protect our countries and peoples from all harm. And it is hated.

The meeting discussed ways to enhance coordination and integration between official media institutions in the GCC countries to deal with current developments and their repercussions, in addition to intensifying efforts to confront rumors and media misinformation campaigns, in a way that contributes to supporting stability and consolidating awareness in the societies of the GCC countries.