Maghreban academics call for using new information technologies for UMA promotion

The 9th session of the Maghreban winter university held this Feb.17-2 called Maghreban decision-makers to use the new information technologies to serve the Arab Maghreb Union project.

The university, which held on Sunday two workshops on "Balance sheet of Maghreban media and communication landscape" and the "role of information in political, economic and social development" noted that the weakness of information flow among economic and academic institutions in the region is the major obstacle to the union construction process. The print was cited as vital in promoting people awareness to the importance of Maghreban integration in a world bound to become a small village.

The opening session was marked by the reading out of a royal message in which king Mohammed VI renewed faith in the importance of the media in activating the Arab Maghreb Union and praised the choice of the theme at a time the Union is marking the 12th anniversary of the Marrakesh treaty which gave birth to the UMA.

King Mohammed VI also highlighted Morocco was honored to host the UMA constituent treaty signing and contribute to carry out the Maghreban people aspirations to face challenges. The sovereign recalled the five countries have a common history, religion, language, and culture, which helped them maintain contacts at various levels and in the struggle for independence.

The royal message stressed the pertinence of the theme at a time the Union is experiencing new challenges embodied by the increasing impact of globalization and the new information order is set to become the engine of globalization. He went on people of the Maghreb have to be tuned with these changes and considered the UMA re-activation as a vital necessity to succeed in accompanying the human civilization progress and also preserving the peoples' cultural identity, securing the region's economic presence and vital interests.

The king also called participants to probe the role of Maghreban information and communication enterprises in deepening awareness on the UMA as an irreversible choice and creating an information dynamic that draws its strength from the Union legitimacy and unanimity over its objectives.