Aljazeera and the AIBD have forged a closer partnership that will provide the peoples from the Asia-Pacific region and the Arab world more opportunities to know and understand each other's perspectives on pressing regional and global events and issues.

To start with, Aljazeera has agreed to provide live coverage of the Asia Media. Summit 2009 in Macau to be aired over its TV channel called Aljazeera Live. At the Asia Media Summit 2008 in Kuala Lumpur, it provided a delayed airing over the same channel of the proceedings of the conference.

In an interview with the Broadcaster, Mr. Wadah Khanfar, Director General of Aljazeera Network, Qatar, said live coverage of the Summit would enable millions from the Arab world to understand the thinking and insights of Asia-Pacific citizens. He said there was not much coverage of the Asia-Pacific region and Aljazeera was ready to expand coverage of events and issues affecting the region.The network is deploying more correspondents in the region and expanding networking and joint ventures with Asian broadcasting organisations such as in training.

Aljazeera Live is a 24-hour channel that in the Fast two years has provided live coverage of various conferences and lectures all over the world.

Mr. Khanfar said Aljazeera wants to have closer cooperation with AIBD, particularly in the Asia Media Summit. He has appointed Mr. Shafaat Khan, Head of Foreign Operations, Foreign Operations Department, to be the point person to crystallize an action plan implementing the Aljazeera-AIBD partnership.

"We have a daily watchdog programme called Action TV that discusses pressing issues such as rising food and fuel prices and provides opportunity for viewers to voice their problems. We also do investigative journalism on economic issues and how government has tackled the economy."