RIYADH: The launch of Arab News en Français reflects Saudi Arabia’s “leading role in the exchanges and interactions of an increasingly interdependent world,” according to Ismail Omar Guelleh, the president of the Republic of Djibouti.
“There is no doubt that the launch of a French edition of Arab News naturally reaffirms the Kingdom’s mission for promoting linguistic and intellectual universality,” he said as he delivered the opening speech at the virtual launch event. “With this French edition, the Saudi press, which for long has formed Arab and English opinions, will rapidly gather … many French-speaking followers.
“This media support will serve, along with a new linguistic component, as a relay and a communication channel to illustrate the brotherly Kingdom’s high aptitude in terms of its capacity to embody a driving and a leading role in the exchanges and interactions of an increasingly interdependent world.”
The introduction of the digital French-language edition of Arab News — which goes live on July 14, French National Day — follows the successful launch of two other online international editions of the Middle East’s leading English-language daily: Arab News Pakistan (www.arabnews.pk) in Feb. 2018 and Arab News Japan (www.arabnews.jp) in Oct. 2019.
Guelleh kicked off the official launch by saying he was “pleased to have the honor of delivering the opening speech at the launch ceremony of the French edition of the Saudi newspaper, Arab News.”
He added: “This is a token of appreciation that comes in line with the privileged nature of the friendly ties between the two brotherly peoples of the Republic of Djibouti and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Since Djibouti gained its independence in 1977, it has built a strong bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia, the president said, adding that the countries have a number of mutual interests and enjoy good relations on many levels.
“The relations between our two nations have gone beyond the classical course of exchange between governments and have now, indeed, reached all the levels of exchange, including the private sector, to which Arab News belongs,” he said.
“There is no doubt that the launch of a French edition of Arab News naturally reaffirms the Kingdom’s mission for promoting linguistic and intellectual universality.”
Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti
“Djibouti and Saudi Arabia share a strong relationship, built throughout history. The solidarity and cordiality they continuously and invariably display for one another show that this does not stem from nothing; they draw their energy and force across a community of cultural and linguistic values and heritage.”
Guelleh also highlighted the role and standing of Saudi Arabia in the international community, and the ways in which the French edition of Arab news might reflect and reinforce this.
“As an economic power and a cultural and civilizational focal point, the Kingdom is permanently at the forefront in the global fight for integration, dedicated to the regulation of transcontinental challenges,” he said.
“French opinions, just like the Arab-speaking and English-speaking readership, will undoubtedly take fully into account the community of interests and destinies shared with the Kingdom and the rest of the Arab world.”
The president concluded by noting that the new edition of Arab News will not only promote Saudi interests.
“This initiative falls within the scope of the measures conducive to bringing together the different cultural and linguistic communities of our increasingly integrated world,” he said.
