Noura Al Kaabi, the UAE Minister of State, addressed participants at the Arab Media Summit 2026 as a keynote speaker during the Government Communication Forum, according to the Emirates News Agency. She spoke in a session titled Media and Diplomacy in a Changing World at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where the three-day event ran from September 15 to 17 under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Al Kaabi told the audience that public diplomacy plays an increasingly important role in keeping dialogue open and building bridges between nations at a time of global change, the agency reported.
The minister described how the UAE, guided by its leadership’s vision, builds international relationships on tolerance, openness, respect for different religions and cultures, and shared interests. She added that the country continues to expand international cooperation and partnerships that contribute to stability and prosperity. Al Kaabi welcomed positive developments in relations with Syria, including Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa’s visit to the UAE, while praising an initiative by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to restore the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, according to the Emirates News Agency.
Al Kaabi told the forum that the UAE faced two simultaneous threats during recent Iranian attacks, with air strikes accompanied by a flood of fake news, disinformation and AI-generated content online. “For the first time in our history, we lived through this,” Al Kaabi said, referring to the attacks on the UAE. The minister stressed that the speed and credibility of information have grown increasingly important in such scenarios, a point reinforced by an MIT study she cited showing false news spreads significantly faster than factual information.
The session formed part of the 24th edition of the Arab Media Summit, which according to the event’s official platform drew more than 400 speakers, 250 media organisations and participants from 23 countries for over 175 sessions. Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice-Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and Chairperson of the Organising Committee, noted that the intersection of diplomacy, media and government communication is becoming increasingly important as the global landscape evolves. Al Marri highlighted Al Kaabi’s wealth of experience in communicating with clarity and credibility across borders.
The summit incorporated eight specialised forums, including the first-time Government Communication Forum alongside gatherings on Arab youth media, films, games, podcasts and social media influencers. Organisers reported that the gathering is expected to yield 25 agreements, reflecting Dubai’s role as a platform for knowledge exchange in the media sector. Al Kaabi’s remarks aligned with broader discussions on how media can support diplomacy and understanding between peoples in a rapidly shifting world order.
