Burj Khalifa displays Arab News logo in French flag's colours.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

As part of its commitment to cover the affairs of the Arab region in an unbiased and professional manner in several languages, the Saudi-based Arab News, the Middle East’s leading international English newspaper, launched a French digital Edition.

The launch of Arab News en Français coincided with the celebration Bastille Day, as part of Arab News’s plans to extend its digital reach across the globe.

Arab News en Français is the publications third foreign language project, following the successful launch of Arab News Pakistan in 2018 and Arab News Japan in 2019.

Arab News en Français is managed through the paper’s regional office in Dubai. An Emirati touch was added to the launch ceremony, by adorning Burj Khalifa with the colors of the French flag as well as the logo of the new French Edition.

 Burj Khalifa adorned with the colours of the French flag as well as the logo of the new French Edition.

Ludovic Pouille, the French Ambassador to the UAE applauded the launch in a recorded video, Pouille said: “This is great news for all Francophone countries, as well as the UAE and the region in general.”

“The Francophone countries celebrate the open dialogue between cultures and civilizations, as well as sharing ideas and diversity of opinions. I believe that Arab News will become a new cultural bridge connecting France with the UAE, GCC, Europe and Africa.”

Arab News en Français was launched on July 14th, via an exclusive invitation-only Zoom video conference, with keynote speeches from high caliber attendees, including Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Republic of Djibouti; Franҫois Gouyette, the French ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Dr Majid Al Qasabi, the Minister of Commerce and Investment and acting Minister of Media of Saudi Arabia, as well as several prominent Arab and French speakers.

During the launch ceremony, Randa Takieddine, the chief Paris correspondent of Arab News in France, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Arab News en Français and Experience AlUla, represented by Hanouf Al Houthan, for the production of cultural content.

Faisal Abbas, Editor in Chief, Arab News, said: “The launch of Arab News en Français comes as part of our strategy to expand our digital reach both regionally and globally, by providing readers with unique and high quality content in their own languages. We strive to reflect the affairs of the Arab world in an unbiased and professional way to correct the prevailing misconceptions.”

“The global trends of the broadcast and digital media aim to deliver content that speaks directly to the readership, through providing coverage in widely used languages. Saudi Arabia was an early adopter of multi-lingual coverage, ensuring accurate and unique coverage, and staying clear of misleading news serving the agendas of certain entities,” Abbas added.

Arab News is published by the Saudi Group for Research and Marketing, also responsible for publishing the websites of The Independent in Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, and Farsi. The Group also launched Bloomberg Asharq in September 2017, as well as Arab News Pakistan and Arab News Japan.