Cape Town - The African News Agency (ANA) has signed an agreement with the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Memorandum of Understanding to enhance co-operation in the media sector via a news exchange, was signed by ANA Chief Executive Officer Grant Fredericks and Mohammed Jalal Alrayssi, Executive Director of WAM, at WAM headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
Fredericks expressed his excitement and said a relationship between Africa and the UAE is what he has been trying to accomplish for the longest time.
"I am very excited. For a long time I have been trying to forge a relationship between the African continent and the UAE because we have so much in common culturally," Fredericks said
"I believe that with our desire to drive not only the African narrative, but we will also drive the narrative that the UAE wants the world to understand and understand who they are and how important the integration of our continent as Africa and the UAE would work together."
He said the creation of the long-term partnership is not just business, but also for the two to become really good friends.
Alrayssi expressed his happiness on the signing of the agreement with ANA, adding that the MoU will create valuable opportunities to disseminate UAE news to a wider audience on the African continent where the UAE has a strong investment and developmental presence.
VIDEO: WAM
The UAE and South Africa recently met to strengthen bilateral relations at a meeting where Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu welcomed His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, praising the development of bilateral relations between the two nations, with trade exchange last year of about 3.9 billion dollars and growing.
And earlier this year, during a State visit by SA President Cyril Ramaphosa, who met with his counterpart, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, the UAE committed to invest US $10 billion in key sectors of South Africa’s economy, including tourism and mining, to support the sustainable development of the country.