Sisi Calls for Media Transparency, Objectivity to Combat Rumors

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called on the concerned authorities to strengthen the role of the media within the framework of the state's efforts to build the Egyptian character in all aspects, especially the formation of awareness, the consolidation of values ​​and social principles, and intellectual and cultural construction.

President Sisi was convened on Sunday with Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and Osama Heikal, Minister of State for Information, according to the official Spokesperson of the Presidency Ambassador Bassam Rady. 

Rady noted that the president urged the government officials to achieve collective coordination and harmony between all state institutions regarding the media framework when dealing with various crises in light of developments at the national and international levels, as well as commitment to transparency and full objectivity, which is something that would contribute to undermining the risk of spreading rumors.

During the meeting ,the Information minister presented a vision of developing the state's media policy in light of various regional and international developments, especially through achieving the optimum utilization of human capabilities and experiences that Egypt has in the media field in line with the sustainable development goals of Egypt's Vision 2030; this will play a great role in maximizing the extent of the influence of the national media locally and abroad and spreading awareness of the efforts of state institutions in the development process that is currently taking place in Egypt.

Heikal was previously the Information Minister in the first government following the January 2011 Revolution, and returned to take over the portfolio created in the last reshuffle. The Ministry was cancelled since the government of Ibrahim Mahlab, in 2014.

With the beginning of the January revolution, he took over as editor-in-chief of al-Wafd, and then to the Information Ministry before heading the Board of Directors of the Media Production City.

During his five month tenure as Information Minister, he made decisions such as broadcasting the trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.