IMF, New Media Academy host Dubai workshop on reporting

DUBAI / WAM

The International Monetary Fund (Regional IMF office in Riyadh and the IMF’s Communications Department), in partnership with the New Media Academy, organised a workshop in Dubai for journalists and social media content creators specialising in economics and finance from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
The workshop, titled “Economic and Social Media Content Creation Skills and Impact of AI on Media”, was organised by the IMF’s Regional Office in Riyadh and the IMF Communications Department, and hosted by Creators HQ, a content creator hub in the UAE and the wider Middle East, and part of Visioneers Group.
It brought together officials from the IMF and content industry experts from The New Media Academy, and was delivered by Wafa Amr, Senior Communications Officer at the International Monetary Fund; Dr. Abdoul Aziz Wane, Director of the IMF Regional Office in Riyadh; Dr. Sami Ben Naceur, Director of the IMF Middle East Centre for Economics and Finance in Kuwait; Alaa Saleh, Director of the SRMG Academy; Nour Ammache, Senior Presenter of economic programmes at Asharq Bloomberg; and Ahmed Basyouni, Digital Content and Talent Development Expert at The New Media Academy.
Participants discussed key economic and financial issues affecting the region, and explored approaches to producing clear, accessible economic content for social media audiences. Sessions also examined how AI and influencers are reshaping the MENA media landscape, alongside practical storytelling tools designed to help creators explain complex economic topics.
Furthermore, simplifying economic and financial terminology for the public, particularly for younger generations, is essential given the widespread use of social media among young people.
Hussein Al Atoli, Director of the New Media Academy, said the workshop aimed to support journalists and creators in producing objective economic and financial content and strengthening public understanding, particularly among younger audiences. He noted that Generation Z accounts for an estimated 25 percent to 35 percent of global social media users and is among the most active groups on platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat. Al Atoli added that Gen Z’s purchasing power is projected to reach $12.6 trillion annually by 2030, and said creator-driven advertising revenues are expected to rise as brands increase spending to capture youth engagement.
Abdoul Aziz Wane, Director of the IMF’s Regional Office in Riyadh, said, “Across MENA, audiences are hungry for clear, accurate, and people-centered economic stories. The Regional Office in Riyadh looks forward to furthering the partnership with the New Media Academy and content creators to convey to the public complex economic stories free of technical terminology.”
IMF’s Senior Communications Officer Wafa Amr said that the workshop is part of the IMF’s engagement with global media and social media influencers. It highlighted how IMF research, including on AI, can help generate meaningful content on how sound policies can enhance economic outcomes and improve peoples’ lives.