Opening Session of IGCF 2015 to Debate Future of Government Communication

Sharjah-UAE: 14 February, 2015 – Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), organisers of the  International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), today announced the opening session of IGCF 2015 would highlight established case studies in government communication from around the world, including the European Union, towards reviewing the nature of government communications in diverse cultural environments.

The session, titled ‘The future of government communication’, will conclude with a showcase of the Jordanian government’s take on the future of government communication in the Arab region.

Attended by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the session will host Jose Manuel Barroso, 11th President of the European Commission (2004-2014) and 9th Prime Minister of Portugal (2002-2004), General Sir Richard Shirreff, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander NATO Europe (2010-2014), and His Excellency Faisal Al Fayez, First Deputy Speaker of the Jordanian Senate Council. Jeremy Bowen, Middle East Editor, BBC, will moderate the session.

Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Centre, said: “The government communication process has witnessed significant progress over the past few years. To cope with the evolving needs of the community and the emergence of new mediums, government communication practitioners will need to adopt immediate and customised communication strategies that can empower them to achieve sustainable and balanced performance.”

“The discussions at the opening session of the forum will highlight the immediate measures that need to be adopted to ensure greater effectiveness of government communication, as well as the challenges that are likely to affect the shift in government communication methods, given its growing role in conflict resolution towards achieving peace and stability.”

Jose Manuel Barroso is expected to bring a definitive point of view to the overall discussions based on his key role as mediator of the peace accords for Angola in Portugal in 1991, and the fact that he, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, launched the talks with the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs that ultimately led to the independence of East Timor.

As NATO's 4 Star Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Sir Richard Shirreff operated at the strategic level, engaging closely with allied, coalition and other governments, as well as non-governmental and international organisations to plan and execute campaigns, generate the force levels required and build necessary bridges towards supporting NATO campaigns and operations.

His Excellency Faisal El Fayez, on his part, has held key leadership positions, including those of Prime Minister, Minister of the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan and Jordan’s Minister of Defense.