No doubt, Arab News’ contribution in projecting the real image of the Kingdom to the outside world is enormous. This has been a great service particularly in the context of the inability of the local media to reach out to the world outside and make an impact on the international public opinion.

Arab News has succeeded in filling this serious gap in our connectivity with the people in the outside world.  My brother and friend, Khaled Almaeena, editor in chief of Arab News, deserves special commendation for this success. He has a special skill in building link between the Saudi society and the diplomatic circles representing the outside world. Even the decision-making circles and the media establishments  in the outside world are influenced by the Arab News.

Undoubtedly, a role of this magnitude can be achieved only by a true professional while its value and importance could be recognized only by those familiar with the difficulties that the journalists in this country, where the culture of transparent news reporting is novel, are facing particularly in the area of collecting information.

So, the successful endurance of this newspaper over the past years is thanks to its ability in working against odds. In this way it has been able to  play a great role in correcting the outside image of the Kingdom and the Saudi society.

I believe that the ability of the newspaper to serve continuously the Kingdom and its society over three-and-a-half decades in itself attests to the distinction of the newspaper and its staff under  Khaled Almaeena.

I pray for the continuous success of Arab News in fulfilling its mission.

— Hashim Abdu Hashim is the chairman of Alisra Establishment for Media Studies and Consultancy.