Abdul Ati al-Obeidi (/ˈɑːbdəl ˈɑːti ɑːl oʊˈbeɪdi/ ⓘ; Arabic: عبد العاطي العبيدي, romanized: ʿAbd al-ʿĀṭī al-ʿUbayyidī; 10 October 1939 – 16 September 2023) was a Libyan politician and diplomat. He held various top posts in Libya under Muammar Gaddafi; he was Prime Minister from 1977 to 1979 and General Secretary of General People's Congress from 1979 to 1981. He was one of three main negotiators in Libya's decision to denounce and drop their nuclear weapons program.
In 2011, amidst the First Libyan Civil War between Gaddafi loyalists and Anti-Gaddafi rebels, he was appointed Foreign Minister after the defection of Moussa Koussa. In fact, he had accompanied Koussa to Djerba, Tunisia before returning to Libya while Koussa defected to London. On 3 April 2011 (a week after Koussa's defection), Obeidi flew to Greece to present a peace proposal to his counterpart Dimitrios Droutsas.[2]
On 31 August 2011, he was detained west of Tripoli by rebel forces.[3][4] In June 2013, a court found him not guilty of a charge of mismanagement.[5][6]
Abdul Ati al-Obeidi died from a heart attack on 16 September 2023, at the age of 83.[7]
Career
- General Secretary of the General People's Committee (Prime Minister)
- 1 March 1977 to 1 March 1979
- General Secretary of the General People's Congress (Head of State)
- 2 March 1979 to 7 January 1981
- Other positions
- Minister for European Affairs
- Minister of Foreign Affairs: 1982 to 1984; 2011
- Deputy Foreign Minister
- Libyan Ambassador to Tunisia
- Libyan Ambassador to Italy
See also
References
- ^ The Middle East and North Africa. December 1980. ISBN 9780905118505.
- ^ "Gaddafi's deputy foreign minister flies to Athens with peace proposal". the Guardian. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Libya's former foreign minister surrenders - video". The Guardian. September 2011.
- ^ "'It's over for Gaddafi' says his foreign minister". 24 August 2011.
- ^ Former Gaddafi official given senior position in Libyan eastern ruling body Middle East Monitor, 3 April 2017
- ^ "Gaddafi officials acquitted but stay behind bars". Reuters. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Former Libyan Prime Minister Abdel Ati Al-Obeidi passes away at 84
- Notes
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| Libyan Arab Republic (1969–1977) |
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| Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1977–2011) |
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| Libya (2011–2013) | |
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| Government of National Unity (2021–present) |
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