Emirates News Agency

Emirates News Agency, commonly known as WAM, is the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates. It was established in November 1976 and began Arabic-language news operations on 18 June 1977. An English service followed in December 1978, with Peter Hellyer associated with the creation of that service. From its base in Abu Dhabi, WAM reports on the UAE's federal and local government activities, diplomacy, economy, development programs, culture, society and major international events. WAM functions both as a domestic public-information institution and as an international news distributor. Its output includes written reports, photographs, video, infographics and documentaries. The agency publishes in multiple languages and maintains a network of correspondents outside the UAE, allowing it to distribute Emirati perspectives and official statements to audiences in the Gulf, the wider Arab world and other regions. Its website provides services in English, Arabic, French and Portuguese, while the agency has also expanded its language capacity through a Hebrew service launched in April 2021. The agency's position is closely tied to its public mandate. As an official national news agency, WAM provides authoritative coverage of government policy, leadership activities and national development, rather than operating primarily as a commercial general-news brand. This gives its reports a strong institutional role, while also making source context and editorial provenance important for readers evaluating its coverage. WAM participates in regional and international news-agency networks, including the Gulf Cooperation Council news agencies, the Federation of Arab News Agencies, the International Islamic News Agency, the Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool and the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies. It has also entered into cooperation and content-exchange arrangements with agencies including Sudan News Agency, Bernama of Malaysia, Xinhua of China, Kuwait News Agency, Petra of Jordan, the Indonesian news agency and Yemen's Saba News Agency. Its cooperation with Türkiye's Anadolu Agency dates from 2012. Since 2025, WAM has operated under the National Media Authority, a federal body created by Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025. The authority consolidated the UAE Media Council, the National Media Office and Emirates News Agency. This administrative change placed WAM within a broader federal media structure while preserving its role as the UAE's principal official news agency.

Emirates News Agency was established in November 1976 as the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates. Its creation provided the newly formed federation with a national institution for gathering and distributing news about the country's government, public affairs and international relations. WAM began its Arabic service on 18 June 1977, making Arabic the foundation of its operating output. An English-language service was established in December 1978, enabling the agency to reach foreign media, diplomatic audiences and international readers. From its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, WAM developed a broad reporting remit covering political affairs, economic activity, development, culture and other areas of national life. Its role extends beyond the publication of individual articles: the agency supplies news materials to media organizations and distributes official information through a mixture of text, photography, video, infographics and documentaries. This multimedia model allows WAM to serve both conventional newsrooms and digital audiences. The agency's international reach has been supported by foreign correspondents and by institutional relationships with other national and regional news agencies. WAM is associated with the Gulf Cooperation Council news-agency network and participates in the Federation of Arab News Agencies, the International Islamic News Agency, the Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool and the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies. These memberships place it within several overlapping systems for regional cooperation, professional exchange and content circulation. WAM has also established bilateral cooperation and news-exchange relationships with agencies in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Listed partners include Sudan News Agency, Malaysia's Bernama, China's Xinhua, Kuwait News Agency, Jordan's Petra, the Indonesian news agency and Yemen's Saba News Agency. Since 2012, WAM has cooperated with Türkiye's Anadolu Agency. Such arrangements support the exchange and wider dissemination of reporting while connecting the UAE agency to international wire-service networks. Language expansion has been an important part of WAM's development. In addition to Arabic and English, the agency's public website offers French and Portuguese services. WAM launched a Hebrew-language service in April 2021, adding another channel for communicating UAE-related news and official information to a distinct international audience. In 2025, WAM's institutional setting changed when it began operating under the National Media Authority. The authority was established by Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025 through the consolidation of the UAE Media Council, the National Media Office and Emirates News Agency. The reorganization placed the news agency within a centralized federal media body. WAM nevertheless retained its established identity and core function as the UAE's official news agency, combining national reporting with international distribution.

1. 2025Placed under the National Media Authority

   WAM began operating under the National Media Authority after the authority was created through Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025.

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2. 2021Hebrew service launched

   WAM launched a Hebrew-language service in April 2021.

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3. 2012Cooperation with Anadolu Agency

   WAM began cooperation with Türkiye's Anadolu Agency, adding to its network of international news-agency relationships.

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4. 1978English service established

   The agency established an English-language service in December 1978.

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5. 1977Arabic service begins

   WAM began its Arabic-language news service on 18 June 1977.

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6. 1976Agency established

   Emirates News Agency was established in November 1976 as the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates.

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The UAE's official, government-backed news agency, emphasizing authoritative national coverage, multilingual distribution and multimedia reporting.

• Text news serviceNews wire1977

  WAM produces written reports on the UAE's political, economic, developmental, cultural and social activities, as well as relevant international affairs. The service is distributed in multiple languages and is designed to provide official and timely material for media organizations and public audiences.

• Photographic serviceNews photography

  The agency distributes photographs accompanying its reporting and documenting official events, public activities and developments in the UAE. Photography forms part of WAM's broader multimedia offering rather than functioning only as a standalone image archive.

• Video and documentary serviceBroadcast and digital video

  WAM provides video material and documentaries alongside written reports and photographs. These formats extend the agency's coverage to audiovisual audiences and support the distribution of official news and explanatory material through digital and media channels.

• Multilingual digital servicesDigital news publishing2021

  WAM publishes through multilingual services intended for audiences in the UAE and abroad. Its publicly identified language offerings include Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and, since April 2021, Hebrew.

• 2025Integration into the National Media AuthorityStrategy

  Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025 created the National Media Authority by consolidating the UAE Media Council, the National Media Office and Emirates News Agency.

  What changed. WAM began operating under the newly established National Media Authority.

  Aftermath. The agency became part of a consolidated federal media structure while continuing its role as the UAE's official news agency.

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• 2021Launch of the Hebrew-language serviceProduct launch

  WAM has progressively expanded its language and international distribution capabilities.

  What changed. The agency launched a Hebrew-language service in April 2021.

  Aftermath. The launch added Hebrew to WAM's multilingual publishing activities and extended access to UAE-related news for Hebrew-speaking audiences.

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• 1978Creation of the English-language serviceProduct launch

  After beginning Arabic-language operations, WAM needed a service capable of distributing UAE news to international readers and foreign media organizations.

  What changed. The agency established an English-language service in December 1978.

  Aftermath. The English service expanded WAM's potential international audience and complemented its Arabic national service.

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• 2025WAM moves under the National Media Authority

  Following the creation of the National Media Authority under Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2025, WAM began operating within the new federal media structure.

  Leadership changeRegulation
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• 2021WAM launches Hebrew-language service

  WAM added a Hebrew-language service in April 2021 as part of its expansion into additional language markets.

  Product launch
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• 1978WAM establishes English-language service

  An English-language service was established in December 1978, broadening the agency's international distribution capability.

  Product launch
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• 1977WAM begins Arabic-language service

  The agency commenced its Arabic news service on 18 June 1977, following its establishment in late 1976.

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1. Emirates News Agency
2. Emirates News Agency official website