Jeddah (UNA) – His Excellency Ahmad Assaf, General Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine and Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Union of OIC News Agencies (UNA), inaugurated on Monday (March 10, 2025) the Union’s office in the State of Palestine, marking the first external office of UNA outside its headquarters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
At the beginning of the virtual inauguration ceremony, attended by several permanent representatives to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and directors of member news agencies, Acting Chairman of the UNA Executive Council and President of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Mr. Ali Al-Zaid, emphasized that the opening of the office represents a significant milestone in the Union’s operations. He expressed his hope that the office will contribute to coordinating joint efforts to support the Palestinian cause and Al-Quds Al-Sharif in the media, as well as enhancing the presence of the just Palestinian narrative in international media platforms.
Al-Zaid stressed that the hosting of this office by the official media institutions in the State of Palestine, with their extensive expertise and distinguished professional history, will positively impact its work and significantly contribute to fulfilling its assigned tasks and responsibilities.
He urged member news agencies to support the office’s operations through news and information exchange, not only by republishing and distributing its reports but also by providing relevant media content that aligns with its objectives.
For his part, His Excellency Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, stated that the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip has highlighted the critical role of media in shaping global public opinion on the issue.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Samir Bakr, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs at the OIC, Taha expressed his hope that this office will contribute to the monitoring and documentation efforts undertaken by the OIC’s Media Monitoring Unit. This unit works to document and expose Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Secretary-General also highlighted the office’s role in strengthening cooperation between the State of Palestine and the OIC’s media arms, praising the Union’s efforts in mobilizing support among its member agencies for the Palestinian cause.
Meanwhile, His Excellency Minister Ahmad Assaf, General Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine, described the opening of UNA’s first external office in the State of Palestine as a “historic and significant event, with profound media and political implications for the Palestinian people.” He emphasized that this office represents a strong message of support for the Palestinian people and their just cause, reaffirming their right to their homeland.
Assaf stated that the office will open a new chapter of constructive cooperation between Palestinian official media and the Union, which will help broaden the reach of the Palestinian narrative across the 57 OIC member states.
On behalf of the President of the State of Palestine, His Excellency Mahmoud Abbas, Assaf expressed his deep gratitude to all those who contributed to making this achievement a reality—particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the host country, as well as the Executive Council of UNA, represented by Saudi Minister of Media His Excellency Salman Al-Dosari and Acting Executive Council Chairman Mr. Ali Al-Zaid. He also thanked the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, represented by its Secretary-General, Hussein Ibrahim Taha.
Furthermore, Assaf extended special appreciation to UNA, under the leadership of Director-General Mr. Mohammed bin Abdulrab Al-Yami, for its efforts in amplifying the voice of the Palestinian people to over 2 billion Muslims worldwide, despite Israel’s attempts to silence this voice by targeting Palestinian journalists and killing over 200 journalists during the recent aggression.
Following this, Minister Assaf officially inaugurated the UNA office, which is hosted by Palestine’s official media institutions, particularly the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA). Commemorative photos were taken to mark the occasion.
In his speech during the inauguration, UNA Director-General Mr. Mohammed bin Abdulrab Al-Yami stated that the establishment of the Palestine office is part of efforts to strengthen media cooperation among OIC member states and to support initiatives aimed at conveying the message of truth and justice to the world. He also expressed his gratitude to Minister Ahmad Assaf for his role in launching the office.
Al-Yami stressed that “Palestine, which has endured occupation for decades, needs a voice to be heard and a story to be told.” He affirmed that this office will serve as a vital tool in conveying the truth, supporting the just Palestinian cause, and reinforcing Islamic solidarity with the resilient Palestinian people.
It is worth noting that the inauguration of this office comes as part of the implementation of the resolution issued during the sixth General Assembly session of UNA, held on January 27, 2025, via video conference. The resolution called on the Union to coordinate with the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) to establish a news exchange system that focuses on disseminating Palestinian news in all OIC member states and in multiple languages, including through the establishment of a dedicated office for this purpose.
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