YT Person of the Year 2001 [Archives:2001/01/Reportage]

Hussein Al-Awadi
Curriculum Vitae
Born in 1958, Mr. al-Awadi is a father of four boys. He obtained his bachelor degree in Politics and Economy Sciences from Sana’a University, where he also obtained high diploma in International Politics. He then specialized in journalism in the University of Maryland in the USA, where he became a member of the editorial board of the newspaper of the University of California Davis. He also became an active member of the Washington, DC-based International Center for Journalists.
Apart from his original field of study of journalism and politics, al-Awadi was also a sportsperson. He worked as the sport correspondent of the Saqr Arabic sport magazine from 1978 till 1983. He became a member of the board of the Arab League for Sport Journalism during 1978-1990. Having a strong background in sport media coverage, he was elected chairman of the Yemeni Union for Sport Information, playing a great role in linking sports with journalism.
Al-Awadi then proceeded in expanding his journalism capabilities by becoming the official daily newspaper al-Thawras correspondent in Washington, DC from 1992 to 1994. Lately he was also appointed vice chairman of the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate.
However, al-Awadis most influential role started to emerge after he took over the prestigious position of the Editor-in-Chief and Chairman of the Yemeni Official News Agency SABA, where he started working on July 3rd 1999. Ever since then, the agency grew tremendously with great pace to become one of the most active agencies in the Arab world.
Apart from his role as a leading journalist and politician, al-Awadi is also a teacher. He is a lecturer in Sanaa Universitys College of Information. Hence, he could also be seen as a respected academic personality who has given a lot to his students.
Mr. Hussein al-Awadi extended his scope into human rights and culture when he became a member of the Advisory Board of the National Committee of Human Rights, and the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Committee to Spread Culture and Knowledge.
Mr. Hussein al-Awadi was appointed Minister of Information on April 4, 2001 of the 2-year government.
Achievements
Since he started his post as Minister of Information, Mr. al-Awadi made remarkable progress internally in the ministry and in promoting journalism values outside the ministry.
Among his achievements since April 2001 are:
1- Establishment of the Media Center, which is a center located in the heart of Sanaa City and open to all journalists all the time. Al-Awadi usually comes over to the club on a daily basis every night and welcomes all visitors with their comments, ideas, and complaints. Through this center, we aim at bringing journalists together, and having them know one another. This is a pool for all media people to find a refuge and place to meet he told the Yemen Times. The center also offers its sports facilities including billiard, tennis, volleyball, and possibly football in the future. It can also be used to hold seminars, meetings, and even wedding ceremonies for journalists absolutely free of charge.
2- The Minister started a new strategy in removing all bureaucracies facing any journalist or anybody dealing with the ministry. Through extensive meetings and encouragements, the minister was able to reduce bureaucracy to low levels.
3- He exerted much efforts in sending talented and promising young journalists from the government sector abroad for training. He indicated many times the importance of giving a chance to the new generation and giving way for new talents to take over important posts in the ministry and in government run media establishments.
4- He set plans to establish new media centers, such as the one in Sanaa, in other cities in the country to promote the same ideas and to bring together journalists of those cities.
5- His encouragement to the non-governmental press was significant as he pushed hard to allocate a larger budget in the form of financial assistance to encourage the free and independent press for better performance.
6- Through continued invitations to journalists, al-Awadi was able to bring them together and have them share visions for the future of the press in Yemen. He insists that newspapers should all be treated equally no matter how critical they are of the state.
7- He brought new equipment and machinery to the state-run TV and Radio establishment. At the same time has been supporting its working staff financially and morally to have them cope with the worldwide global revolutions.
8- He raised life insurance of journalists and employees working in press establishments to YR 1 million, which is given to the family of the deceased after his death.
9- He promoted sport activities for employees of the ministry by launching various sport events, which he himself also participates in. Being a sportsperson and not being a qat chewer made him encourage his employees to give up chewing qat and instead direct their energies to sports in their leisure time. He ordered the construction of small cafeterias and green gardens at the TV and Radio establishments and the Ministry, as he did before in the Saba News Agency.
10- He is known for popping.
11- Finally, he is the only minister who does not require appointments to meet journalists. He simply allocates a time every day for any journalist who wants to visit him at his office. He also receives telephone calls on his direct line unlike all other ministers.
Those are just a few of what the Minister did in just 8 months. He still has many plans ahead. He is planning to develop a technologically advanced website for the Ministry of Information to contain all the information needed by global readers. He will be pushing for greater changes in the way TV and Radio programs are operated.
On this occasion, we would like to send our utmost congratulations to Minister Hussein al-Awadi hoping that this honor will encourage him to continue in this path for the better of the journalistic community and to be an example for other ministers to follow.

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