Arab news channel ‘Al Ghad Al Arabi’ launches in Egypt

A new pan-Arab news channel was official launched on Sunday at a ceremony held in Cairo.

Al Ghad Al Arabi is the first pan-Arab news channel to broadcast from Egypt.

It is headed by Egyptian journalist, author and former head of Egypt’s News Center, Abdel Latif el-Menawy.

The official ceremony was attended by a number of prominent Arab and western politicians, researchers, analysts and media personalities.

Former British PM Tony Blair, who was also present, gave a speech at the opening gala which focused on the regional threats and how to face them.

Blair said it was important for global powers to unite to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its ideology, adding that to confront terrorism, alliances must be establish.

For his part, Abdulatif Menawy said: “With Cairo being picked as the headquarters for the channel, this affirms Egypt is a secure country that is capable of embracing a large news channel.”

The ceremony included a panel on the future of the Middle East and discussed global policies and their effects on the Arab region five years on after the Arab Spring.

The panel, moderated by TV host Giselle Khoury, also included former U.S. ambassador to Egypt and Turkey, Francis J. Ricciardone.