ALGIERS- President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan co-chaired Tuesday, in Algiers, the signing ceremony of several cooperation agreements between Algeria and Turkey.

These cooperation agreements and memorandum on several sectors were signed at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Republic following the discussions between the Presidents Tebboune and Erdogan.

A cooperation agreement was signed between the agency Algeria Press Service (APS) and the agency Anadolu by the Director General of APS, Samir Gaid, and his counterpart of the agency Anadolu, Serdar Karagoz.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) and the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) for a cooperation in the use of sciences, technologies and space applications for peaceful purposes, signed by the Director General of ASA, Azzeddine Oussedik, and the head of TUA, Yusuf Kirac.

At the economic level, a commercial agreement on the purchase and sale of liquefied gas concluded between Sonatrach group and the Turkish company Botas was signed by Sonatrach's CEO Rachid Hachichi and the Director General of Botas, Abdulvahit Fidan.

A cooperation protocol in archives was signed by the acting Director General of the National Centre of Archives Samy Othmani Merabet and the Director General of the Archives of State at the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Ugur Unal.

For the health sector, a twinning agreement was signed between the Burn Hospital of Zeralda and the hospital complex Basaksehir Cam and Sakura of Istanbul, by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Mohamed Talhi, and Turkish vice-minister of Health, Tolga Tolunay.

A joint ministerial Declaration, related to an Algerian-Turkish preferential trade agreement, was signed by the Minister of Trade and Exports Promotion, Tayeb Zitouni, and the Turkish Minister of Trade, Omer Bolat, in addition to the signing by the two officials of a cooperation agreement on consumers' protection, market observation and inspection and the control of products and services.

The two sides concluded a memorandum of understanding in the field of environment, signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad Ahmed Attaf and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

The two ministers also signed an agreement on the cinema co-production, a memorandum of understanding between the National Library of Algeria and the National Library of Turkey, a protocol of cooperation in higher education for the granting of scholarships and a memorandum of understanding on protocol cooperation.

Norway's ambassador to Algeria visits APS headquarters

ALGIERS - Norwegian Ambassador to Algeria, Loken Gheziel, visited the headquarters of Algeria Press Service (APS) in Algiers on Wednesday, where she held talks with the agency's Director General, Samir Gaid, on ways of developing cooperation between the two countries' press agencies.

The visit was an opportunity for the two parties to discuss ways of setting up a framework for cooperation between the APS and its Norwegian counterpart, and of exchanging expertise, particularly in the fields of broadcasting, photography and training.

The two parties also discussed ways of strengthening relations between the two countries and media support for various bilateral and multilateral cooperation activities, such as the ministerial meeting between African and Nordic countries, which Algeria will host from 16 to 18 October. 16

APS "Brahim Dahmani" Poll : 2023 winners honored

ALGIERS-The best Algerian sportsmen and women of 2023, winners of the APS poll of the national sports press, were honored Thursday evening at a ceremony held at Abdelatif-Rahal International Conference Center (CIC) in Algiers, in the presence notably of Minister of Youth and Sports, Abderrahmane Hammad, Minister of Culture and Arts, Soraya Mouloudji, Minister of National Solidarity, the Family and Women's Affairs, Kaoutar Krikou, Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Karim Bibi Triki and of numerous political and sports personalities.

Athlete Slimane Moula and gymnast Kaylia Nemour, Sportsmen of the Year 2023, received their cheques and awards from the Minister of Youth and Sports, Abderrahmane Hammad, and the Director General of APS (Algeria Press Service), Samir Gaid.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Abderrahmane Hammad said he was "delighted" to attend this event.

"I am delighted to be here with you at this ceremony for the best athletes of the year, which has become an APS tradition since 1977. Let me thank the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, for the place he has given to youth in general and to sport in particular, through his support and encouragement, a first in the history of Algerian sport."

"We are here this evening to honor the athletes who have distinguished themselves, and who have been chosen in this poll while demonstrating great determination and an iron will to succeed and raise the national flag high," stressed the minister. 17

For his part, the Director General of APS paid tribute to the winning athletes for their brilliant and encouraging performances, pointing out that "this poll, which has been running since 1977 and honors the best Algerian sportsmen and women, is the most important operation of its kind on a national scale."

"We are honored and proud of our athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout 2023. After an absence of several years, the Brahim Dahmani Poll Awards are back to confirm the close relationship that exists between sport and the press in a new, strong and modern Algeria;" said the APS DG in his speech.

He also thanked the survey's partners (ANEP and Madar Group) for their contribution to the success of this event, which represents a real motivation for the athletes. Samir Gaid emphasized that the winning athletes, through their performances, had demonstrated "that continuous effort and perseverance in work are the only guarantees of success."

"I would like to thank the Minister of Youth and Sports for his sponsorship of this ceremony. I warmly thank the Minister of Communication for his support in relaunching the APS poll," he continued.

In the senior category, the Algerian sports press chose Slimane Moula (athletics) in the men's category, and Kaylia Nemour (gymnastics) in the women's category. The two athletes were voted for by the 35 bodies that took part in the operation, following their performances throughout the year.

In the women's category, credit went to the rising star of national gymnastics, Kaylia Nemour, runner-up at the World Championships in Belgium and bronze medalist at the African Championships, in addition to qualifying for the Olympic Games 2024.

She succeeds judoka Amina Belkadi in the poll. Kaylia scored 125 points in the APS poll, ahead of boxers Imane Khelif (72pts), gold medalist at the Arab Sports Games (Algiers) and qualifier for the Olympic Games 2024, and Boualem Roumaissa (33 pts), African champion in Yaounde, Cameroon and also qualifier for the Olympic Games.

"I'm pleased, proud and honoured to have been voted best Algerian sportswoman of the year 2023. This award represents for me the support of the whole of Algeria, it warms my heart," stated Kaylia Nemour while receiving her prize.

In parasport, the title of parasport athlete (women) of the year 2023 went, unsurprisingly, to para-athletics athlete Nassima Saifi, who scored a total of 160 pts, ahead of teammate Samira Guerioua (5 pts).

"I cannot help but be delighted by this award, which means a lot to me and honours me," said Nassima Saifi, world champion in discus (F57) and bronze medalist in shot put at the Paris World Championships, stating that this distinction is another incentive for her to live up to the expectations of an entire nation.

For the men, Slimane Moula, African champion and 5th in the 800m final at the Budapest World Championships was the lucky winner of the Best Athlete of the Year Award, achieving a total of 112 pts, ahead of judoka Driss Messaoud (66 pts), African champion, and boxer Jugurtha Ait Bekka (31 pts), also African champion. All three athletes have qualified for the Olympic Games in 2024.

"I am very happy to have won this title, especially as it was such a close fight with so many names who have distinguished themselves this season, such as my friend Sedjati and judoka Driss Messaoud. I would like to thank APS, which has resumed the organization of this ceremony, absent since 2019. This survey is proof of the agency's interest in sport and its willingness to encourage it. I would also like to thank all the media that voted for me," said Moula.

Slimane Moula succeeds fellow track and field athlete Toufik Makhloufi in the poll. In the men's parasport category, a little-known national figure beat all predictions to win the award for best male athlete of the year in this category.

Brahim Guendouz, a para-kayakist, won the title with a total of 85 points, ahead of para-powerlifter Hocine Bettir (50 pts). The Annaba-born kayaker had a very successful year, winning a bronze medal at the World Canoe Championships in the KL3 200 m in Duisburg, Germany.

This title represented to him and Algeria a historic qualification for the next Paralympic Games in 2024. A few days later, Guendouz added a silver medal at the African Championships in Abuja, Nigeria.

"This is an unforgettable moment in my career. This award has a special value for me. It is also the reward for a very encouraging year for me," said Guendouz on the sidelines of the event. 19

APS, University of Algiers 2 sign cooperation,
 expertise exchange agreement

ALGIERS- Algeria Presse Service (APS) agency and the University of Algiers 2 "Abou El Kacem Saadallah" in Bouzareah (Algiers) signed a cooperation and expertise exchange agreement on Wednesday, focusing in particular on language promotion.

For the APS, the agreement was signed by the agency's Director General, Samir Gaid, and for the University of Algiers 2- Abou El Kacem Saadallah, by the Rector, Salah Laboudi.

Under the terms of this agreement, the two parties aim to "determine the areas of cooperation and partnership and to exchange expertise, particularly in the promotion of foreign languages, in view of the missions of the university as a public institution of higher education, and the missions of the APS in the areas of research, processing and dissemination of information as part of the public service, contributing to the enrichment of the national media landscape and the dissemination of credible and objective media content."

Following this agreement, the University of Bouzareah is committed to taking part in the supervision of selection and recruitment operations on behalf of the APS for its specialist foreign language services, in addition to the contribution of teachers and researchers from the university, through their expertise, to the ongoing training of APS executives in their specialist fields.

The university will also help to inform and involve APS in the various programs and activities it organizes, while providing access to academic documents where appropriate, as well as making cognitive tools available to the agency's executives, by providing them with copies of dissertations that can be used in the documentation center." 20

The agreement also gives the university the opportunity to organize study meetings, forums and conferences within the scope of the agreed cooperation.

APS's commitments under the agreement, which runs for a renewable period of 3 years, essentially involve covering the university's scientific and academic activities and organizing work placements for university students in APS departments, depending on the resources available.

On this occasion, Gaid said that APS "was keen to sign this agreement, which will support the agency's development plan, in particular the promotion of languages on the agency's websites, given the importance of languages in promoting national information policy."

According to the same official, the agreement is "part of the preparations for the launch of a Spanish-language website, with a view to developing its partnership and information exchange programs with press agencies in Latin America, as well as with numerous partners around the world."

The agreement is intended to be "an opportunity to benefit from the extensive experience of the University of Algiers 2, particularly in developing the English-language service within APS, as well as to exchange expertise and provide technical support and guidance to future managers in charge of managing foreign-language editorial services," he added.

"Our medium-term ambition is to launch websites in foreign languages, which will enable us to reach out and convey Algeria's message to the four corners of the world," he said.

For his part, Rector of the University of Algiers 2 welcomed the agreement, which he described as "an important step in raising the profile of the university, with its strong academic staff and skills, which for some time have been confined to the university campus".

The University of Bouzareah "is proud today to have found a way of showcasing its staff and skills, and thus contributing to popularizing Algeria's vision of the world in an academic and scientific manner," stressed the Rector.

Praising APS's influence on the media scene and its reputation for producing objective and targeted information, Laboudi said he was convinced that the university "will benefit greatly from the support of APS in training its graduates."

EFE

6th Saliou Traore Prize for Journalism in Spanish on Africa announced

The Spanish News Agency EFE and Casa Africa are calling for entries for the 6th Saliou Traore Prize for Journalism in Spanish on Africa, which is open to work in any format published between 1 January and 31 December 2023.

The award is named after the veteran Senegalese correspondent of EFE, who died on 

13 October 2018 in Dakar, and recognises the quality of work that contributes to communication and knowledge among African peoples.

Also those "that focus on inclusive, sustainable and egalitarian development, in addition to the social and solidarity component", according to the rules of the call for entries.

Spanish nationals, Africans or people of any nationality who have published works on the African continent or on African themes in Spanish are eligible for this prize, whether natural or legal persons.

In addition, professional associations of journalists, institutions, as well as those responsible for Casa Africa and the delegates of the EFE Agency throughout the world may propose candidates for this prize.

The jury's decision will be published on 25 May, Africa Day.

"Giving Africa a voice"

For the president of the EFE Agency, Miguel Angel Oliver, this new edition of the award is the result not only of the good relationship between Casa Africa and EFE, "but also of the mutual effort to reward excellence in journalism in a neighbouring, strategic and exciting continent".

Both institutions, Oliver added, "share the responsibility of working for the visibility of this diverse continent and thus contribute, in some way, through journalism narrated in Spanish, to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda". "It is a source of pride for me and for the agency I represent to be able to support this slow-cooked, long-haul journalism, through stories that help us to get to know the entrepreneurial capacity of African societies, to admire their resilience, to understand them and give them a voice," said the president of EFE. Diverse Africa

Jose Segura, director of Casa Africa, highlighted the prize-winning works in previous editions, always characterised by explaining the continent in Spanish "avoiding sensationalism and stereotypes, by trying to show the diversity, richness and complexity of a territory that is increasingly important in the geopolitical scheme of the world".

Segura stressed that this award has highlighted the difficulties of journalists "who struggle to be able to explain what they live, how they advance and what concerns Africans, against the inertia of a media that has traditionally shunned information about Africa, limiting itself to giving it space only through the most tragic stories that perpetuate these negative stereotypes".

"Holding this award is also an exercise of responsibility for Casa Africa, a spur to the media and journalists to write more and better about Africa in this country, so that our citizens understand and know more about African realities," Segura remarked. In its 2023 edition, the Saliou Traore Prize was awarded to the journalist of the newspaper El Pais Gloria Pallares Vinyoles for her work on the Chinese extraction of illegal minerals in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The prize is worth 5.000 euros and a commemorative statuette designed by the Spanish artist Maria de Frutos.

It is sponsored by the Government of the Canary Islands and with the collaboration of Binter and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

LINK TO THE NEWS: https://agenciaefe.es/convocado-el-vi-premio-saliou-traore-de-periodismo-en-espanol-sobre-africa/

The president of EFE advocates truthful, rigorous and clean information

The president of the Spanish News Agency EFE, Miguel Angel Oliver, has defended the right of citizens to free and truthful information and pointed out that journalists must "get their hands dirty, snoop around and ask questions in order to obtain rigorous and clean information".

Oliver made these statements at the welcome ceremony for the latest graduating class - the 19th - of the La Caixa Foundation and EFE Agency journalism scholarship programme, held at the Caixa Forum in Madrid, where he told the twelve scholarship holders - nine women and three men - that journalists must consult all sources and leave no room for manipulation.

Miguel Angel Oliver defended the role of a public agency, such as EFE, in society and stressed that EFE has no editorial line or opinion of its own and that its objective is to inform with rigour.

Oliver: "EFE is clean, rigorous and truthful water".

"EFE is clean, austere water, made by faceless people, who are not vedetes. It is rigorous and truthful, with its own style of neutralising language", said Oliver. Along these lines, he advocated the need to verify information and pointed out that this is increasingly necessary in the current era, in which there is more and more disinformation and false news.

He told interns that they are the "new lifeblood" of journalism and that they are needed like food, and encouraged them to seek out information, to ask questions and to question "everything".

"There is always a good story to be told," he said. 23

The twelve trainees will spend nearly two years training at the agency's offices in Spain and abroad. EFE is present in 110 countries around the world, especially in America.

Oliver also referred to the future of EFE and pointed out that the company's strategic plan contemplates the renewal of the workforce, technological renewal and financial stability. Artificial intelligence should support journalists

He was also in favour of the use of new technologies and said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should support journalists and help them in the journalistic process, but never replace them.

Also taking part in the event was Elianne Ros, Director of Media Relations at the La Caixa Foundation, who advocated "good journalism" and that information that "is just noise in the midst of disinformation" should be discarded.

"It is necessary to look for information that is worthwhile in times of intoxication", stressed Ros, who encouraged scholarship holders to "not lose their curiosity" and to always ask questions.

EFE's values: objectivity, rigour, independence and defence of the truth The director of the EFE School of Journalism, Carlos Gosch, urged him to share EFE's values: objectivity, rigour, independence and defence of the truth". These scholarships are aimed at students in their final year of their degree in Journalism and/or Audiovisual Communication at Spanish universities and have a duration of 18 months.

Until 31 July 2024, the scholarship holders will be trained in EFE's national newsrooms and from 1 November 2024 to 31 July 2025 in EFE's delegations abroad. Of the twelve students, five have joined EFE's headquarters in Madrid, five in EFE's Barcelona office, one in Seville and one in Alicante.

The journalism scholarship programme of the "La Caixa" Foundation and Agencia EFE is considered the best in Spain and in its 19 years of existence has trained a total of 320 students to date.

LINK TO THE NEWS: https://agenciaefe.es/el-presidente-de-efe-aboga-por-una-informacion-veraz-rigurosa-y-limpia-2/ 24

The Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP) and the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency signed an agreement on January 25, 2024 in Rabat, with the aim of formalizing cooperation between the two institutions. The objective is to contribute to efforts that promote the image of the holy city of Al-Qods as a land of peace, tolerance, and coexistence, while preserving its rich civilizational and historical heritage.

Stamped by MAP Director-General Fouad Arif and the Director overseeing the management of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, Mohamed Salem Echerkaoui, this agreement outlines the framework for collaboration between the two agencies in line with the general policy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the goals and directions of the Al-Quds Committee, led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect Him.

MAP commits to media promotion of the efforts of the Al-Quds Committee and aims to enhance the visibility of the Agency's actions in the Holy City, utilizing all available information platforms and cooperative relationships with other press agencies. MAP will also strive to underscore the central role of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency in protecting the Holy City and preserving its civilizational heritage for humanity.

In return, the Bayt Mal Al-Qods Agency will provide MAP with unrestricted access to the photos, reports, and films it produces in the Holy City and the West Bank regarding its programs and projects. In this respect, the Agency also commits to acknowledging MAP as the media sponsor of its programs and activities across all available advertising platforms.

Under this agreement, both parties will also collaborate on the production of media content.

On this occasion, MAP Director General Fouad Arif emphasized the importance of cooperation with the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, stressing the need to formalize this collaboration in various aspects, particularly in terms of training, networking, and residencies in the media field, to continue joint efforts and elevate the level of their partnership.

He also reaffirmed MAP's commitment to supporting the actions of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency to contribute to its visibility and promote its efforts in the service of the Holy City, in line with the High Orientations of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God protect Him.

Echerkaoui, on his part, expressed his delight at MAP's "positive and spontaneous" response in concluding this partnership between the two agencies in the service of the interests of Al-Quds and its inhabitants, under the wise guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the president of the Al-Quds Committee. 25

He also praised the role played by the Maghreb Arab Press Agency on the media scene, describing it as a "prestigious institution that has trained generations of professional and committed journalists, gained credibility, and remained committed to the principle of impartiality."

7th FAAPA General Assembly Wraps Up in Sale

The 7th General Assembly of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA), held under the theme "African newsmaking: a major sovereign stake", wrapped up on Januar 22, 2024 in Sale, with the awarding of the Federation's Grands Prix for the 2022 and 2023 editions.

For the year 2022, the Grand Prix for best article was awarded to Abdoulaye Diallo, journalist at the Senegalese Press Agency (APS), while that for best video report was presented to Kamongnin Sylla, journalist at the Ivorian Press Agency (AIP), and that for best photo to Ahou Suzanne Konan, reporter-photographer at AIP.

The winners of the 2023 FAAPA Grand Prix were Oumar Sankare, a journalist at the Malian Press and Advertising Agency (AMAP), for best article, Abou Anatole Konate, a journalist at the Ivoirian Press Agency, for best video report, and Blaise Irenge, a reporter-photographer at the Congolese Press Agency (ACP) for best photo.

The two-day General Assembly was also marked by the adoption of the Federation's action plan for 2024, which covers several areas: organization, professional training and qualification, multimedia, communication, cooperation and partnership.

It also examined and adopted the report of the 6th General Assembly, the report on the Executive Council meetings, the report on training seminars, and the financial report.

Participants in a panel discussion organized as part of the General Assembly under the theme "African Sovereignty in Action: Perspectives on Information and the Initiative for the Atlantic region", stressed that Press agencies have a major role to play in promoting informational cooperation along the Atlantic region and in preserving the media sovereignty of the continent's countries.

A major conference at the Policy Center for the New South at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University was also organized as part of the General Assembly, to discuss the many facets of the African Atlantic's potential and explore avenues for sustainable development and regional integration in the region.

Participants at the meeting highly commended HM King Mohammed VI's strategic initiative to enable Atlantic access for Sahel countries, emphasizing that it is the illustration of Morocco's firm commitment to the development of Africa and the strengthening of South-South cooperation.

At the close of the General Assembly, five bilateral cooperation agreements were signed between FAAPA member news agencies. 26

It should be noted that FAAPA will hold its 8th General Assembly next October, which will coincide with the Federation's 10th anniversary.

Established on October 14, 2014, in Casablanca, the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies is a professional platform for reflection on the future of press agencies and the role they must play in the 21st century, taking into account their diversities and respective specificities, considering the profound changes characterizing the media landscape in the context of globalization and the multimedia era.

African Press Agencies Urged to Play Central Role in Asserting Continent's Sovereignty (FAAPA Chairman)

African press agencies are urged to play a central role in asserting the continent's sovereignty, said, on January 22, 2024 in Sale, chairman of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA) and Director General of the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP), Fouad Arif.

"Today, sovereignty is becoming increasingly crucial, given the developments our sector is going through and the ever-growing complexity of current issues on our continent,  noted Arif, who was speaking at the opening of FAAPA's 7th General Assembly, held under the theme: "African newsmaking: a major sovereign stake".

In this regard, he stressed the importance of focusing on means to rise to this challenge in order to create a vibrant forum for discussing the crucial issues pertaining to African sovereignty in the field of information.

This recovery of sovereignty should entail a real evolution in media discourse, which must be distinguished by a reappropriation of the national narrative on an individual level, and that of the collective narrative on a continental level, added Arif, stressing that the aim is to enable African information to be handled with a genuine African "touch", by selecting themes, perspectives, and contributors that reflect the realities of our continent.

"Our goal is to work together to reposition African specificities at the core of information handling, be it cultural, political, or economic," he pointed out.

Arif also underlined that the 7th FAAPA General Assembly is a major gathering, which also brings together media experts and prominent figures from the African Atlantic region, along with the Directors General of African press agencies, to engage in an in-depth panel discussion on the theme: "African Sovereignty in Action: Perspectives on Information and the Initiative for the Atlantic region".

This panel is designed to highlight the role that press agencies at large, and FAAPA in particular, play in promoting information cooperation along the Atlantic coast, supporting development initiatives in the Sahel-Atlantic region, and upholding the media sovereignty of the African states, said FAAPA chairman, adding that in this context, the media, and in particular national press agencies, have a major role to play in promoting a collaborative approach to shared development. 27

The panel will also contribute to enriching debates on the creation of an institutional framework bringing together the Atlantic African States to consolidate security, stability and shared prosperity in the region, he stressed, recalling that this institutional framework was initiated a few months ago with the Speech delivered by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, May God assist Him, on November 6, on the 48th anniversary of the Green March, and in which the Sovereign had pointed out that "My goal is to transform the Atlantic region into a space for human interaction and economic integration, and to make sure it plays a key role at continental and international levels."

"In view of the potential offered by the Royal Initiative for the Atlantic Facade to strengthen regional integration and cooperation, the structural transformation of our economies, and the improvement of living conditions for our populations, it is our common interest, even our duty, as African press agencies, to echo and perhaps even champion it," insisted Arif.

The 7th General Assembly of FAAPA brings together, for two days, Directors General of African press agencies, media experts, and eminent personalities from the African Atlantic region who will explore ways to strengthen African sovereignty through information and dynamic initiatives along the Atlantic facade.

Participants in this General Assembly will explore, through interactive sessions, debates, and sharing of experiences, the means by which African press agencies can play a central role in asserting the sovereignty of the African continent.

MAP Holds its 38th Board of Directors Meeting

The Maghreb Arab News Agency (MAP) held its 38th Board of Directors meeting in Rabat on January 4, 2024, chaired by Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid.

At the meeting, which took place in the presence of MAP Director General Fouad Arif and members of the Board, the agency's budget for the 2024 financial year was approved, along with the moral and financial reports for 2022.

Speaking on this occasion, Bensaid highlighted the importance of MAP as a strategic national media institution that plays a major role in promoting the Kingdom's advances and achievements in various fields under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, and contributes to its national and international influence.

MAP agency, which is the country's national and international media arm, has the strategic mission of defending Morocco's interests, he said, calling for the institution's role to be strengthened as part of the preservation of national sovereignty in terms of information and the fight against fake news.

In this regard, the Minister praised the agency's professionalism in covering key events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the Al Haouz earthquake. 28

Bensaid highlighted that MAP currently aspires, within the framework of its new vision, to stand out as a leading institution in media diplomacy by striving to reinforce the values of professionalism and ethics and by encouraging all its competencies towards innovation and creativity.

For his part, MAP Director General noted that the agency's ambition today is to position itself as a media reference at regional and continental level, while consolidating its role as an influential tool for promoting the Kingdom's interests internationally.

To this end, the agency's services need to be overhauled to keep pace with changes in the national and international media landscape, and with the technological transformations the sector is undergoing, said Arif.

This new approach, he added, is based on "an immutable doctrinal prerequisite, namely our philosophy of a complementary and virtuous partnership in perfect synergy with the public sector media", pointing out that even if the agency has chosen to refocus on its core business of news dispatching, it remains determined to invest resolutely in the production of videos, photos, audios and infographics, in order to effectively implement the strategic orientations implemented under the leadership of His Majesty the King, at national, continental and international levels.

MAP Secretary General, Sanaa Ziad, presented the financial report for the 2022 financial year, as well as the budget and outline of the 2024 action plan.

This action plan focuses on several key areas, notably strengthening MAP's mission to defend national information sovereignty, consolidating the agency's continental and regional leadership, and transforming its current legal status into an S.A., taking advantage of the opportunities this process offers to modernize the agency's governance and mode of operation.

It also involves implementing a digital transformation strategy, repositioning audiovisual offerings around more appealing content for media clients, ensuring an enhancement of human capital through targeted training programs, as well as rational and efficient redeployment within the agency's regional and international clusters.