Yemen Times: Years of Success [Archives:2005/823/Last Page]
March 10 2005
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The Yemen Times began its work in 1991 in Sana'a, issuing its first issue on Feb. 28 as the first Yemeni English language newspaper in the country. It has dealt with many issues in Yemeni politics and collected its pieces from many from reliable sources. The newspaper has bureaus throughout the country and it strongly advocates the importance of the freedom of opinion and human rights.
The goals and principles of the newspaper earned the respect of readers and its independence enabled it to work with transparency, and impartially convey political, economic and social issues to its Arab and foreign readers.
Prof. Abdulaziz al-Saqqaf (1951-1999) who majored in economics and media, guided the newspaper successfully for its first eight years. He started in a modest room and grew to build a huge press and printing establishment entirely depending on self-generated funding.
The Yemen Times remains firmly connected with its founder, Prof. al-Saqqaf. He was fluent in English and received his bachelors degree (honors) from Sana'a University, after which he was nominated for a scholarship in the USA to pursue his postgraduate studies.
He earned his first certificate in arts from Ohio University, and Masters and Doctoral degrees in international economics and public administration from Harvard University. He was appointed a member at the Association of Middle East Studies and was also a member at the American Economists Association.
Being a professor of economics, he taught in a number of Arab and foreign universities and later in Sana'a University and was an author of a number of books on the economy and media.
During his post as the Yemen Times chief editor, he founded numerous organizations and charitable societies as well as other organizations associated with freedom and human rights. During his post in the al-Shura Council, as Head of the Committee of Public Rights and Freedoms, he adopted the case of several prisoners and solved their problems, particularly prisoners of opinion.
Over the last 14 years, the Yemen Times has defended human rights and freedom of the press and has always worked to convey a positive image of Yemen.
The Yemen Times was published even on the day of its founder's death.
The Yemen Times also proved to be able to issue a number of supplements, press guides and other regular magazines, the most important of which is the “Family and Development Monthly Magazine”. It has professional staff in all of its departments, most of whom now work for other Arab and international newspapers.
The Yemen Times is a window exposing Yemen to the external world. It could help the Yemeni Government in gaining international aid and this is reflected in the words of an international journalist, who said “the Yemen Times works in parallel with the function of the embassies abroad in terms of promoting Yemeni tourism.”
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