Abdel Aziz Hali

In December 2020, African Women in Media (AWiM), in partnership with the African Union (AU), International Labour Migration (ILO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) held the Labour Migration Media Awards ceremony.

Abdel Aziz Hali won the the top spot in the Economic Impact of Migration category.

In this interview with AWiMNews, Abdel Aziz discusses his experiences as a journalist and the story that won the prize.

1. Please introduce yourself

My name is Abdel Aziz Hali. I am a 40 year old man and the Executive Editor of the geopolitics & international news desk at La Presse de Tunisie since 2010 (French-language newspaper, founded in 1936).

I am also the founder and the Editor-in-Chief of Mangeonsbien.com since december 16, 2016. It is the first Tunisian Webzine (Web-Magazine) dedicated to Food & Drinks culture, gastronomy and dietetics with a very attentive look at local products, wines, oils and cuisines of the world.

Before joining the editorial staff of La Presse de Tunisie, I also worked as a reporter with other media houses such as the weekly magazine “L’EXPRESSION” (2008-2009), the weekly newspaper “Tunis Hebdo” (2009-2010), “and as a freelancer on the websites tekiano.com (2009-2011) and nawaat.org (2014-2017).

On October 6, 2011, I won the Prize “Democracy and social change” for my report “Once upon a time two revolutions: Facebook my Republic, Twitter my Arab League”, published in the newspaper La Presse de Tunisie. The prize was awarded during the Anna Lindh Journalist Awards ceremony (Euro-Mediterranean Journalist Award) with the presence of SAS Albert II at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. It was the first time that a Tunisian journalist had been nominated and awarded since the creation of the Prize in 2006.

In April 2014, I was selected by the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists along with three other journalists (Pham Anh Tuan from Vietnam, Ana Maria (Yee) Macaraig from the Philippines and Olufemi Akande from Nigeria) to work as a permanent correspondent for the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists United Nations Headquarters in New York.

In December 2014, the Tunisian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr. Kamel Bennaceur, awarded me the prize of the National Energy Management Agency (ANME) for the best journalistic work on “energy rationalisation and promotion of renewable energy”.

In January 2015, I was named Journalist of the Month by the International Journalists’ Network (IJNET).

In November 2015, I received the “Photojournalism: Journalist in Action” prize awarded by the Alternative Media Association for my photos published in “Tunisia Live” showing the pollution that damages the old port of Tunis.

With my website mangeonsbien.com, I won:

1. The Travel d’Or 2017 of the Best Website of Gastronomy & Catering in Tunisia.
2. The Travel d’Or 2018 of the Best Website of gastronomy & catering in Tunisia.
3. The Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2020 in the category “Website” (the only African website winner).
4. The first Prize of the Labour Migration Reporting Awards 2020 (Category: Economic Impact of Migration).

And in November 2020, I won The first Prize of the “Stay at Home” Media Recognition Awards for the journalists from French-speaking countries in Africa.

2. What was your first career choice and what inspired you to go into journalism?

My first career choice was to teach as a part-time lecturer at the University & Central Training Institute (ICF) of Geochemistry, Mineral and Organic Chemistry and Geology as I am a geologist specialising in georesources and geochemistry.

But since I was passionate about the French language and journalistic literature, I made my passion my profession as long as the beautiful French-speaking feathers were no longer running in the streets.

At the same time, journalists from the written press such as Robert Fisk, Albert Londres, Carl Bernstein, Jean Daniel, George Steer, Pierre Haski, Hamida Ben Romdhane, Edwy Plenel, Chokri Ben Nessir, Foued Laroui and Jacky Durand have always fascinated me.

I have always been a fan of magazines and newspapers: Jeune Afrique, New York Times, The Guardian, Courrier international, Le Monde, L’Express, Time Magazine, Le Canard enchaîné, Charlie Hebdo, etc.

3. Please tell us a little about the story that won the award and what was your inspiration going into it?

Nearly 6.6 million Syrians have fled the war, according to statistics (mid-2020) from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Between the exactions of the “shabbiha” (groups of armed men in civilian clothing, who act for the government of the Baath Party of Syria, led by the family of Bashar al-Assad) and the barbaric invasions of the “takfirists” (Islamists who follow an ultra-violent ideology), for several Levantines, the exodus has become a necessary evil. If the vast majority of Syrian refugees headed for the Old-Continent (Europe) to Germany, others preferred to leave for Tunisia.

This is the case of Mazen, Raafat, Tarak and Abdel-Monaêm, who, with the help of the local office of the humanitarian organisation ADRA (Adventist Agency for Aid and Development) in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), have succeeded in their socio-economic integration via restaurant projects specialising in Syrian culinary art.

The story of these four Syrians is a good example of the empowerment of migrants and refugees in host countries. A wave of hope and good vibes for millions of migrants. The success of these Syrian migrants and their perseverance is a real life lesson.

4. What is the best thing about the story and what is the most difficult thing?

It was not easy to tackle how migrants in Tunisia are contributing to the economic growth in the country due to negative perceptions.For example, the two restaurants of Mazen, Raafat and Tarak employ ten Tunisian workers.

My story focused on the positive aspect of Mazen, Raafat and Tarak migration as it contributed to the economic development of the country.

On the other hand, if Mazen, Raafat and Tarak did not find it difficult to succeed in their empowerment in Tunisia, despite some financial glitches as soon as they arrived in Tunisia, the story of Abdel-Monaêm Saied Ahmad is a real Greek tragedy.

In this report, Abdel-Monaêm tells us about his journey full of pitfalls, not to say his passion for Christ.

Victim of two swindles and a nasty cardiovascular disease, this father of a girl and a boy — born in the village of “Rhiba” in the suburbs of Damascus — had to overcome all these obstacles to finally open his own restaurant.

Admittedly, contrary to the commercial success of the first restaurant Mazen, Raafat and Tarak (as evidenced by the opening of a second shop: Snack), Abdel-Monaêm’s promising beginnings are unfortunately now facing the repercussions of the crisis linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

5. What do you think is the one main form of support women journalists in your region need in order to produce similar stories?

In order to produce similar stories, in my region the women journalists need training sessions, fellowships and above all the means (grants) to finance such reporting projects.

Quality journalism requires resources and support.

6. What advice would you give to journalists looking to explore the themes you are looking at in their own work?

We must always favour stories with a human dimension, far from the buzz and the commercial spirit.

Storytelling and immersive reporting are by far the noblest journalistic genres. They bring us closer to the heroes of everyday life without blush or make-up.

Be the voice of the voiceless and the words that show the way to change.

Take a stand and be the heralds of a better world.