Ayman Safadi (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...

: أيمن الصفدي ''ʾayman aṣ-ṣafadī'') (born 15 January 1962) is a Jordanian politician who serves as

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

and

Minister of Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between coun ...

. Safadi is a member of the Jordanian Druze community.

Biography

Early life

Safadi was born in

Zarqa Zarqa ( ar, الزرقاء) is the capital of Zarqa Governorate in Jordan. Its name means "the blue (city)". It had a population of 635,160 inhabitants in 2015, and is the most populous city in Jordan after Amman. Geography Zarqa is located in ...

, Jordan, on 15 January 1962. He holds a BA in English literature from

Yarmouk University Yarmouk University ( ar, جامعة اليرموك), also abbreviated YU, is a comprehensive public and state supported university located near the city centre of Irbid in northern Jordan. Since its establishment in 1976, Yarmouk University (YU) ...

, and an MA in international journalism from

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the ...

which he earned in 1992.

Journalism

He used to write in ''

The Jordan Times ''The Jordan Times'' is an English-language daily newspaper based in Amman, Jordan. History Established in 1975, ''The Jordan Times'' is owned by the Jordan Press Foundation, a shareholding company which also runs the Arabic-language daily '' A ...

''. He has also served as CEO of

Abu Dhabi Media Company Abu Dhabi Media Network (, also ADMN) is the official media organization of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi#Government, Government of Abu Dhabi. The organization was established in 2007. The company manages over 18 brands in two categories. ADM brands ...

, Director General of Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, editor-in-chief and columnist for the '' Al-Ghad'' daily newspaper, and editor-in-chief of ''The Jordan Times''. In 2015, Safadi was appointed as a member of the board of directors of the

Al-Mamlaka Al-Mamlaka ( ar, المملكة, translit-std=DIN, translit=Al-Mamlakah, literally "The Kingdom") is a Jordan-based public broadcaster based in Amman, Jordan, established by a 2015 bylaw. It was launched on 16 July 2018. The TV channel is state ...

TV channel. He founded in 2014 and is the Chief Executive Officer of Path Arabia, a political and communication strategy company and consultancy that operates out of Abu Dhabi. It focuses on the Middle East.

Politics

Between 2008 and 2011, he served as an adviser to King

Abdullah II Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein ( ar, عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين , translit=ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯānī ibn al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of ...

The Royal Hashemite Court The Royal Hashemite Court (RHC) ( ar, الديوان الملكي الهاشمي, ''Al-Diwan Al-Malaki'' ''Al-Hāshimy''), which is historically known as Al-Maqar ( ar, المقر, ), is the administrative and political link between the King of Jo ...

, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State, and government spokesperson. Safadi was a member of the Jordanian Senate from September 2016 until his appointment as minister in 2017. He also served as spokesperson for the

United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) was formed on 14 August 2003 by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1500 at the request of the Iraqi government to support national development efforts. UNAMI's mandate includes ...

(UNAMI). Safadi was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs on 15 January 2017, replacing Nasser Judeh. On 12 October 2021, he was also appointed Deputy Prime Minister in Bisher Al-Khasawneh's Cabinet. In January 2022, Safadi met with

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's ...

Antony Blinken Antony John Blinken (born April 16, 1962) is an American government official and diplomat serving as the 71st United States secretary of state since January 26, 2021. He previously served as deputy national security advisor from 2013 to 2015 and ...

in Washington, D. C., to discuss

bilateral relations Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. Wh ...

, economic cooperation, and issues in the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

including Syrian crisis,

two-state solution The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotiatio ...

, and support of

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

References

External links