Team set up to counter negative image of Saudi Arabia

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal on Tuesday emphasized that the Kingdom’s ambassadors and diplomats working at foreign missions have a major responsibility to correct the negative image of Saudi Arabia being created abroad.

“To confront this, a working team, comprising senior officials of the ministry, will be constituted to carry out studies on various aspects of this issue. The panel would come out with specific proposals and suggest practical measures.

The outcome of the study will be circulated among the embassies abroad,” he said while urging the ambassadors to submit their views and proposals to the team especially in light of the experience and expertise that they have acquired in handling this issue abroad.

Prince Saud made the remarks while addressing the concluding session of the 3rd meeting of the Saudi ambassadors and heads of foreign missions abroad at the ministry’s headquarters, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The minister highlighted the significance of countering this negative propaganda in the wake of the fast expanding reach of the media, especially social media, which heavily influences public opinion.

“We have to step up our efforts to effectively counter the misinformation campaign against Saudi Arabia,” he said.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on 25th of December, 2013.