• The number of people facing acute food insecurity has more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels, rising from 135 million in 2019 to a projected 345 million in 2023.

• Food prices were 50% higher in 2022 compared to 2019.

• Given current trends, 574 million people -nearly 7% of the world's population - will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030.

• In developed countries, fiscal measures in response to the pandemic amounted to $12,200 per capita, versus $410 per capita in developing economies, and $20 per capita in LDCs. (Read the Complete Article)

===================================

Anadolu Agency's Hatay correspondent Burak Milli, his wife, and five-month-old baby passed away on Thursday in the aftermath of the twin quakes the epicenters of which were southern Kahramanmaras province's Pazarcık and Elbistan districts. 

On the sidelines of the ABNA-SE general assembly, the Athens-Macedonian News Agency signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the Albanian news agency (ATA) and the Romanian press agency (Agerpress) as well as the Diversity Charter, a European Commission initiative for the promotion of diversity in Greek businesses. The signature of a bilateral agreement between the AMNA and the Moldovan news agency Moldpres, which had also been planned, was ultimately not possible due to a sudden illness of the Moldovan news agency's representative.

In February, the AMNA also signed a cooperation agreement with the Serbian news agency Tanjug, in Belgrade. The agreement was signed by the president and general manager of the Athens-Macedonian News Agency Emilios Perdikaris and the editor-in-chief of the Tanjug news agency, Jovana Joksimović.

Earlier this month, AMNA also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) for the promotion of entrepreneurship. In particular, within the framework of the cooperation, AMNA will assume the role of "Media Partner" of the largest chamber of the country and the two bodies, among other things, will cooperate:

• for the promotion of the actions of ACCI and its member companies in the Greek and international media,
• for the information and training of ACCI members on communication and promotion issues.

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 24 - ANSA has signed a new partnership deal with Mauritania agency AMI as it expands its international collaboration network after similar recent deals with Dutch agency ANP, India's PTI, Argentina's TELAM, Uruguay's Uypress, Filipino press agency PNA, Tanjug of Serbia, Moldovan agency Moldpres and Vietnamese agency VTA.

Like the others, the accord with the Nouakchott-based agency envisages an exchange of content and forging an enriched offering of international news for clients as well as developing joint commercial offers to boost the communication of institutions and businesses in their respective countries.

Italian Ambassador to Marocco and Mauritania, attending the signing via videolink, stressed how the agreement is a great step forward between the two countries.

"This is a crucial moment in the history of relations between Mauritania and Italy," he said.

"Ever since I was installed I have worked to develop ties between our two countries; we consider Mauritania an important partner in the region, also for the fundamental role it plays in the stability of the area, and strong cooperation is necessary between the two press agencies ANSA and AMI, also within the framework of collaboration between Rome and Nouakchott".

Mauritanian Ambassador to Italy Zeineb Ely Salem, present at the signing at ANSA HQ in Rome, said "information is vital and the accord signed today boosts relations between Mauritania and Italy. As an embassy we are ready to support this cooperation that we deem decidedly important." AMI Director General Mohamed Fall Oumeir Beye stressed that the accord was the first agreement of its kind between the the Agence Mauritanienne d'Information and ANSA, saying "this will enable both agencies to benefit from mutual experience in their respective working fields; thanks to this accord, both parties will be able to benefit from the information services provided by each partner in their respective countries and in the other geographic zones covered by their journalists".

He also said the deal would enhance the communication of businesses and institutions in both countries, and stressed its importance for bilateral cooperation and cooperation "between our country and the ambits in which Italy plays a leading role, such as the European Union, the 5+5 Dialogue, and the Sahel Alliance".

ANSA Managing Director Stefano De Alessandri said "I'm happy to sign this accord through which we will start the exchange of news on Italy and Mauritania which will help improve the mutual knowledge of our two countries," and added "I consider this accord an important starting point for substantive collaboration which I hope will soon produce communication projects in support of businesses and institutions in the two countries". (ANSA).

ALGIERS - March 12, 2023 - Algeria Press Service (APS) and the Congolese Press Agency (CPA) signed Sunday, in Algiers, a cooperation agreement on the exchange of information and media contents.

The agreement was signed by the director general of the APS, Samir Gaid, and his counterpart of the CPA, Bienvenu-Marie Bakumanya, at a ceremony held in the headquarters of APS. 11

The agreement is related to the exchange of information, photos, computer graphics, and other items regarding the audiovisual field.

In an address, the director general of the Congolese Press Agency said that it was the first agreement the CPA had signed under her leadership, adding that she had insisted that it must be done with an African country, namely Algeria.

"To me, the goal is achieved with regard to the conclusion of an agreement with the Algeria Press Service. We will now have information from Algeria and the region, well-sourced and reliable, which we will publish, to our subscribers, without hesitation, because we trust APS as a source," she stressed.

"African press agencies should give voice to Africa. African history must not always be told by others."

Prior to the signing ceremony, the two directors-general held discussions on the ways and means to develop cooperation between the APS and the CPA and extend it to other African press agencies, to defend the interests of the continent and fight fake news.

The investigative report "Fentanyl: future for drugs, death for humanity", published in the Mexican media N+, won the Narrative Journalism award. "J'accuse! El saqueo de la casa de Rosario", published in Spain's Frontera Digital, won the International Cooperation award.

The Spanish state radio and television network RTVE won the Environmental Journalism award for its report "Suelos vivos" (Living Soils), which focused on regenerative agriculture. "El segundo exilio de Sergio Ramirez" (Sergio Ramirez's second exile), an extensive profile of the Nicaraguan writer published by the Mexican newspaper "Milenio" was awarded the prize for Cultural Journalism.

EFE had access through the poet's family to the report that the experts delivered to the judge about the causes of his death, at the beginning of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.

Agencies, newspapers, radio and television stations on five continents reported EFE's scoop on the death of one of the great literary figures of the 20th century.

Canas pointed out to the students of the IIMC the value of news agency journalists to offer "contrasted and verified" information, with the "well told facts" as a basis for forming a "solvent opinion". In this sense, he emphasized the work of EFE's Fact-Checking department in the fight against disinformation and false news.

The IIMC, which has an internship agreement with EFE, has 600 postgraduate students spread across campuses in six regions of India.

"Almost a century of images from EFE's photographic collection helps us understand how different ideological and social changes have converged into a more just and hopeful reality," said EFE president Gabriela Canas at the inauguration. She also participated in a round table on the evolution of the challenges faced by women in Spain and India. She was joined by renowned Indian women's rights activist Ranajana Kumari and journalist Megha Sharma, from the local news channel News X.

"We live in a very strong political polarization, social networks immediately report everything without fact-checking, and a voice of greater reflection is needed," said Canas, during the meeting.

The PTI director pointed out that verification is an essential activity for agencies in the face of the proliferation of disinformation, which must be countered.

Both executives agreed that EFE and PTI, by expanding their current collaboration and through their informative work, can also help to dispel stereotypes about India and Spain.

The aim of the course is that the journalists learn how to tell "better" the EU in order to explain to the citizens the functioning of its institutions and how the policies agreed in Brussels affect them.

The 25 journalists, selected among 270 applications, will develop the program in newspapers, agencies, television and radio and will also receive two training modules, one at the School of Journalism of EFE and RTVE facilities in Madrid, and another in Brussels.

Spain is one of the eight European Union countries where this pilot program, supported by the European Parliament, is being launched.

Organized by the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), this two-day symposium aims to highlight the presence of women in media institutions, especially in decision-making bodies, in addition to sharing experience among women journalists in Arab news agencies.

In a message to the participants, FANA Secretary General Farid Ayar expressed his thanks and gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco for hosting this event, as well as his sincere appreciation to MAP's Director General and the Agency's team for the initiative of hosting this colloquium, which comes four decades after the first edition held in 1981 in Beirut.

On the other hand, Ayar stressed that the access of women journalists working in Arab news agencies to decision-making positions "requires enormous efforts to develop the activity of the Arab media and place them at the level of advanced organizations in the world".

She also stressed "the need to take the initiative to counter the spread of hate speech and takfirist terrorist thinking that now threatens our Arab societies and advocates the exclusion of women."

Ayar affirmed that focusing on human beings, especially Arab media professionals, men and women, expanding their knowledge, providing them with the necessary training and making them benefit from regional and international knowledge, cultures and experiences, will certainly have a positive impact on media institutions and their performance, so that they can adequately fulfill their missions.

For his part, MAP Director General Khalil Hachimi Idrissi, in a message read on his behalf by Director of Communication and Cooperation Rachid Tijani, welcomed the participants to this symposium, which MAP is hosting for the first time.

"MAP is committed to hosting every year all the sessions programmed by the FANA General Assembly and related to women," declared Hachimi Idrissi, adding that in order to break with the traditional organization that characterized previous symposiums, it was decided "the participation of two male journalists colleagues from the Agency", in consecration of the "fraternity between men and women".

The representative of UN Women in Morocco, Leila Rhiwi, welcomed the efforts made by MAP and its commitment to gender equality and the fight against all forms of discrimination, especially through its Joint Committee.

In this regard, Rhiwi highlighted the crucial role of women journalists in strengthening women's rights and the principles of gender equality, considering that women journalists report "facts on the ground and people's experiences, which enables them to advocate and mobilize for essential causes."

Director of the Department of Information and Institutional Communication of the World Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), Samy El Kamhawy, recalled that ICESCO has declared 2021 the Year of Women, under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, noting that the Organization implements and supports numerous programs and projects aimed at supporting women in member states.

ICESCO's support for women did not stop with the end of the celebration year, but "has continued and will continue in deeds and words, with the increase in the percentage of women in the Organization's leadership to reach 50% of managerial positions in ICESCO's departments, administrations and specialized centers," she said.

The program of the symposium, which will be attended by women journalists representing various Arab news agencies, includes two workshops on the first day and two more on the second day, as well as a visit to the exhibition and the International Museum of the Sîrah of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization at ICESCO headquarters.

Available on the address "lemedialogue.map.ma", this portal is a means to make contact with MAP ombudsman accessible to the greatest number, not only in Morocco but also abroad, where both the network of MAP agents and Moroccans of the world can be found.

Available in three languages (Arabic, French and English), the ombudsman's portal provides access to various sections presenting, in particular, the history of the institution of the ombudsman, MAP in dates, the status of the ombudsman, as well as the book "Figures of the Moroccan press".

This 180-page book highlights the rich heritage of the Kingdom's capital and invites the reader to a journey through time and space where the history, architecture, cuisine and spirituality of the city are in the spotlight.

Published in French and English, "Magical Rabat" sheds light on the potential of Rabat at the tourist, cultural, economic and environmental levels, which, grouped together in a single collection, makes it possible to discover "The City of Light" in all its splendor.

Rabat, as described by MAP Director General, Khalil Hachimi Idrissi, in the presentation of "Magical Rabat" is "a cultural melting-pot that absorbed various affluents throughout history. In an almost geological process, strata accumulated, solidified, sedimented and gave birth to a unique identity.

In this presentation entitled "The Parable of the Storks", Hachimi Idrissi notes that "the dimension of the city as a political capital of the country, the Royal Palace, the Mechouar and the neighboring Touarga quarter, the 'Ahl Fez' mosque with its centuries-old makhzanian character, bestow on the city a sort of patina that gives the whole population a certain urban 'sacrality' rendering profane all the other agglomerations of the country, except, naturally, for the imperial cities of the Cherifian Empire."

The city is obviously winning its urban challenge, he said, adding "the cultural field, personally looked after by the Sovereign, is yet to be taken. Rabat will be the cultural capital without ado."

"Foreign tourists, especially cultural tourism lovers, flock to Rabat in a growing number. It’s like the parable of the storks, wherever there are tourists, there is tolerance, living-together, joy of life and peace," writes Hachimi Idrissi.

The series "Magical" of MAP aims to promote the cities of the Kingdom and through them the regions to which they belong, presenting their potential through a rich and varied rubric, which goes from history to technology, through culture, places and monuments, spirituality, sports, nature ... etc..

In addition to rich and well-documented texts, these books will be, like the first issue "Magical Rabat", illustrated with photos.

In addition to bookstores, "Les Magiques" are intended to furnish rooms and reception areas of hotels, travel agencies ... etc., a contribution of MAP to the promotion of national tourism.

After "Magical Rabat", other books will follow to highlight the assets of cities that have written glorious pages of the history of the Kingdom, such as Fez, Meknes, Casablanca, Tangier, Tetouan, Marrakech, Agadir, Laayoune, Dakhla, Oujda, etc.

These personalities, from various backgrounds, were chosen after an internal survey conducted among some 300 journalists of the Agency, distributed between the Headquarters, the 12 regions of the Kingdom and the international hubs of MAP.

This poll is intended to elect the best personality/institution of the year 2022 in six different categories that distinguished itself by a project, an approach or an exceptional achievement during this year.

Moroccan producer Nadir Khayat (alias RedOne), who has brought the colors of Morocco to the top of the world music scene, was chosen in the category "Arts and Culture" for his realization of one of the official songs of the World Cup Qatar-2022, after his appointment by FIFA to the post of executive director of entertainment of this body.

In the "Sport" category, the national coach Walid Regragui was awarded for his exceptional achievement in getting the Atlas Lions to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, a first in the history of national, Arab and African soccer.

In addition to the unprecedented achievement with the Atlas Lions at the World Cup, Walid Regragui won with the WAC the African Champions League in May 2022 and one month after the title of champion of Morocco.

In the "Economy and Finance" category, Bank Al Maghrib was chosen for its efforts to make the Moroccan economy more resilient and competitive despite the difficult international situation.

In the "Media, Communication, Internet and Social Networks" category, the title of MAP's Personality of the Year went to the Moroccan yachtswoman Ihssane Benalluch, European Union Goodwill Ambassador, who won the "Best Influencer" award in the Arab world.

In the category, "Social action, civic initiative and human development", it is the Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech, one of the architects of the exceptional career of the Atlas Lions in Qatar, who was elected personality of the year for his good works for the benefit of poor families and charities.

The journalists of MAP have also chosen, in the category "Politics and Governance", Faouzi Lekjaa as personality of the year for his good governance of public finances and Moroccan soccer through the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), as well as for his actions at the head of the budget department at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Through the Personalities of the Year poll, the Moroccan Press Agency intends to highlight proven talents in fields as varied as the arts, culture, politics, economics-finance, sports, social action and the world of media and communication.

This issue, 100% feminine, honors in a special file entitled "His Majesty's ambassadors", the 19 women ambassadors, through portraits and interviews, mainly realized by MAP's correspondents abroad, tracing the brilliant and remarkable career of these exceptional women who carry high the Kingdom's colors and who work tirelessly to preserve the supreme interests of Morocco and to make its image shine internationally.

Their significant contribution to the diplomatic scene and their success in a field that was traditionally the prerogative of men, has broken gender stereotypes and contributed to changing mentalities and encouraging more women to embark on responsible careers.

Thus, BAB magazine introduces its readers to these senior officials who carry the voice of Moroccan diplomacy to the four corners of the world.

"The performance of an ambassador is measured by the achievements he or she makes in favor of the national causes of his or her country, but also by his or her ability to make it known and to highlight its economic and investment potential, as well as the diversity of its culture, its history and its civilization (...)", underlines Nadia Abram, editorialist of this special issue of BAB.

She adds that "In all these missions, our ambassadors have succeeded in bringing a feminine touch brimming with creativity and commitment to diplomatic action".

"These brilliant women, endowed with an impressive capacity of adaptation with the specificities of the countries of residence, thanks to their professionalism, their know-how and their perfect mastery of languages, key point of the communication, the art of the dialogue and the persuasion, give a radiant image of the Moroccan woman and Morocco, crossroads of civilizations", concludes Nadia Abram, one of the pioneer journalists at the Moroccan News Agency.

"BAB" is a monthly generalist magazine, published in Arabic and French and distributed in Morocco and abroad.

With an editorial staff present in the four corners of the world and covering the twelve regions of Morocco, BAB offers each month to the fans of the paper press a magazine of 132 pages rich in information, reports and discoveries embracing national and international subjects.

During this visit, the first abroad of Amadou Sy since his appointment as the new Director General of the APS, explanations were presented on the major developments that the Moroccan news agency has experienced in the last ten years to establish itself as a public pole of multimedia information in the era of new technologies and social networks.

Amadou Sy, who led a large delegation from APS, also learned about MAP's various products (photography, computer graphics, video, multilingual publishing, etc.) and its new audiovisual pole, in addition to the use of artificial intelligence to increase its productivity and consolidate its position as the first African news agency.

This visit also served to highlight the special partnership between the two media institutions, which dates back to the opening of the first MAP office in Africa in Dakar in 1980, and to underline the willingness of the Moroccan agency to support APS in the projects it has launched to keep pace with the rapid development of the media sector.

The new Director General of APS, who visited the various premises, departments and branches of the agency, took this opportunity to express his firm commitment to benefit from the rich experience of MAP, known and recognized for its leadership at regional and continental levels.

In a statement to M24, MAP's news channel, he hailed the long-standing friendship between the two agencies, stressing that his visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the media field.

Recalling the efforts made to revitalize the Senegalese news agency and strengthen its audiovisual and computer graphics capabilities, Amadou Sy expressed his desire to benefit from MAP's experience in order to make the APS a news agency of "great importance."