Final Communiqué of 8th Islamic Information Ministers Conference

Rabat, January 28, SPA -- The final communiqué of the 8th Islamic
Information Ministers Conference issued here today at the conclusion
of the conference decided the completion of the restructuring of the
Islamic News Agency ( INA) and the Islamic Broadcasting Union (ISBU)
to play a key role in the field of media and production of
audio-visual programs, training and exchange among Organization of
the Islamic Conference OIC's member states, calling on the conference
to fund these two media projects by the approval of the proposed
financial budget for 2009.

It also called on OIC's member states which have not joined the
Digital Solidarity Fund to do that as soon as possible and pump their
contributions to this Fund.

Moreover, the Final Communiqué recommended the activation of
the 7th session's decision calling for setting up a ministerial
committee to be convened as soon as possible to prepare an integrated
plan on the ways of addressing the outside world to correct the image
of Islam and clarify its noble values.

For this purpose, the Conference decided to establish a fund to
which the member states, institutions and individuals contribute
voluntarily.

Concerning the Palestinian question, the Final Communiqué called on
the conference to cooperate with Al-Quds committee and use the event
of choosing Al-Quds as the Capital of Arab Culture for 2009 to shed
light on this holy city, calling the member states' TV channels to
put a united slogan for Al-Quds.

It also called on the conference to celebrate the 40 anniversary of
the foundation of OIC by media organs and allocate a proper media
coverage in this regard.

The Final Communiqué lauded the content of the speech delivered by
King Mohammed VI of Morocco to the participants at the conference's
opening session and adopted it as a basic document of the conference.

It decided that the coming 9th session of the Islamic Information
Ministers Conference for 2011 will be held in Gabon in response to an
invitation of the Gabon's government.

At its Final Communiqué, the Rabat conference decided also to set up
a supervisory and follow-up committee comprised of the Conference's
current chairman, former chairman and the next one as well as the
OIC' Secretary General, so that it could be convoked as need arises
upon an invitation of its chairman in coordination with the OIC'
Secretary General.

--SPA