Somalia Takes Chairmanship of Arab Information Ministers Council

GOOBJOOG NEWS | CAIRO: Somalia has assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Arab Information Ministers, placing Mogadishu at the head of regional discussions on media cooperation, digital transformation and efforts to counter disinformation and extremist propaganda.

Information Minister Abdifatah Kasim Mohamud took over the chairmanship during the council’s 56th ordinary session in Cairo, where he called for stronger collaboration among Arab countries to address emerging challenges facing the media sector.

In his address, Mohamud said Somalia would work with member states to turn shared priorities into practical initiatives, highlighting the role of media in state-building, national reconciliation and the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He called for greater exchange of expertise in tackling terrorist propaganda and disinformation, alongside increased investment in journalist training, fact-checking and professional safety.

The minister also urged Arab countries to strengthen digital media capacity and explore the use of artificial intelligence in news production while protecting information credibility, privacy and the rights of content creators.

Somalia’s chairmanship comes as media organisations across the region grapple with the rapid expansion of digital platforms, the spread of false information and the growing influence of artificial intelligence on news production and distribution.

Mohamud said Somalia would work with member states and the council’s general secretariat to follow up on resolutions, establish implementation measures and assess progress during its tenure.

He also reaffirmed Somalia’s support for Palestinian self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, calling on media organisations to document violations and ensure the safety of journalists covering the conflict.