New Delhi: Radio Pakistan Director General Murtaza Solangi has been elected Chairman of the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD).

After the election in Kathmandu in the 38th annual conference, he announced that AIBD will initiate new training programs to help member countries to develop programming and technical facilities to prepare them for the new challenges specially related to Climate change and man-made as well natural disasters.

He is also a Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

The AIBD was established by UNESCO in 1977 as a UN project, initially with 13 member countries. It derives its funding from members? contributions, UNESCO and international communities.

AIBD was established by UNESCO in 1977 as a UN project initially with 13 member countries. Funding came from voluntary Members contribution, UNESCO and international communities.

Since its inception, man power training has been AIBDs main mandate. More than 25,000 broadcasters and media professionals have benefited from various training programmes over the years. Some 1,500 broadcasters from 50 countries are currently being retrained through AIBD programmes each year. 

AIBD now has 43 full members in 26 Member Countries, 74 Affiliate Members and 48 International Partners. AIBD has close cooperation with several Broadcasting Unions/ Associations. Among them are the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA).

UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - being permanent members of AIBDs Executive Board - play a key role in planning and executing many of the Institutes developmental activities. The Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung has also supported AIBD activities since its inception in 1977.