Ulaanbaatar, March 30, 2024 /MONTSAME/. MONTSAME, the Mongolian National News Agency, and ANSA, the leading Italian news agency, held an online meeting on March 28, 2024, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The two agencies will cooperate by exchanging daily news, sharing innovations and experiences in journalism, and jointly organizing exhibitions to display the works of photographers.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to Mongolia Giovanna Piccarreta attended the Signing Ceremony of the Memorandum held at the MONTSAME News Agency. The 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Italy will be celebrated in 2025. As part of the year-long celebration, the two sides plan to organize many activities. 

At the Ceremony, Director-General of MONTSAME Mongolian National News Agency Sodontogos Erdenetsogt said, “I am confident that the partnership between MONTSAME and ANSA will not only strengthen the bond between our countries but also open new avenues of cooperation and provide new opportunities. In particular, we will work together to spread wider knowledge and understanding of the culture, traditions, and values of the two countries by building a bridge that will promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries to a new level. MONTSAME, as a member of the OANA Board of Directors, can also share news from the organization. Together, let us leverage the power of journalism to promote understanding, peace, and prosperity. We extend a warm invitation to visit Mongolia at your convenience.”

ANSA CEO Stefano De Alessandri emphasized that this cooperation would strengthen ties between Mongolia and Italy and enhance relations between the two countries. The ANSA CEO expressed his commitment to sharing expertise in utilizing artificial intelligence in the information industry, besides receiving works produced by the MONTSAME agency in foreign languages and adopting mutual experience through exchanging experts between the two organizations. 

“Over the past two years, ANSA has renewed its cooperation agreements with international news agencies and established new partnerships. Currently, ANSA signed agreements with approximately 70 international partners. In an era where disinformation proliferates, interagency collaboration is a crucial asset in strengthening the credibility of news agencies. ANSA's archive, comprising 20 million photographs, presents abundant opportunities for collaborative endeavors, including the organization of a photo exhibition demonstrating the relations between Mongolia and Italy,” said Mr. Stefano De Alessandri.

ANSA, founded in 1945, is an association of 28 leading Italian newspapers and magazines. It has about 500 employees, with journalists making up two-thirds of the staff. ANSA has correspondents in over 50 countries. The agency also operates ANSA.it, Italy's foremost news website, and six websites in English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and German.