Riyadh to Host 2nd Meeting of Arab Team Tasked with Negotiating with International Media Companies on Thursday

Cairo, July 16, 2024, SPA -- Riyadh will host the second meeting of the Arab technical team tasked with negotiating with international media companies on Thursday. This meeting implements Resolution no. 533, issued on June 21, 2023, during the 53rd session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, held in Rabat, concerning the formation of a team to negotiate with international media companies.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Assistant Secretary General and head of the Arab League Media and Communication Sector Ahmed Khattabi said that the team, headed by Saudi Arabia, will discuss implementing the negotiation plan with international media companies. The plan was outlined during the first meeting, held in Jordan on August 29, 2023, and adopted during the 54th session of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, held in Manama on May 29.
He added that the plan outlines specific criteria for engaging with the companies, specifically focusing on social media platforms, search engines, digital content platforms, and digital advertising.
He emphasized that the three-day meeting is significant in establishing the foundations of digital sovereignty and devising a practical and unified negotiation strategy to protect the Arab digital sphere. He pointed out the growing influence of the digital economy, which currently represents approximately $11.5 trillion, or 15.5% of the global GDP, and is projected to double within the next decade.
The team includes senior media experts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Tunisia, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, and the Arabic States Broadcasting Union.
--SPA