The Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN) will organize two contests to choose the best news report and picture of 2015.

The news report and picture of the year will be picked in accordance with rules ratified by the general assembly of AMAN.

The Middle East News Agency (MENA) board chairman and editor-in-chief Alaa Haidar, who also doubles as head of AMAN, said Tuesday the two contests are open to journalists from Egypt's MENA and news agencies of all member states.

MENA works should be sent to AMAN Secretary General George Penintaex, who is also the acting editor-in-chief of the Cypriot news agency, by March 15, 2016 maximum, Haidar said.

Topics and pictures should reflect on Mediterranean issues, he noted.

The secretary general of AMAN will send copies of all received materials to members of a follow-up panel a week later, Haidar added.

The panel will choose the winners in April, MENA board chairman said, urging all AMAN members to take part in the two competitions.