Abdulrahman Ben Yezza
Encyclopedia
Abdulrahman Ben Yezza is a Libya
n businessman and politician who is the Oil Minister in the government of Abdurrahim El-Keib
. Prior to the 2011 Libyan civil war
, Ben Yezza served as "chairman of the operator's management committee" for Italian
oil company Eni
. He also worked for Libya's national oil company
during Libya's governance by Muammar Gaddafi
, but he quit the company voluntarily due to reported differences with its then-leader Shokri Ghanem, a member of Gaddafi's inner circle.
Ben Yezza was originally considered for an appointment to government under the interim administration of Mahmoud Jibril
, the National Transitional Council
's prime minister during the fight to overthrow Gaddafi. Jibril's overt contemplation of naming Ben Yezza, who was ultimately passed over in favor of retaining Deputy Prime Minister Ali Tarhouni
, to head the Oil Ministry was seen by some analysts as a gesture to the government of Italy, a major investor in Libyan oilfields and an important supporter of the 2011 uprising. Ben Yezza was ultimately given the portfolio of Oil Minister by Jibril's successor, Abdurrahim El-Keib
, on 22 November 2011.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n businessman and politician who is the Oil Minister in the government of Abdurrahim El-Keib
Abdurrahim El-Keib
Abdurrahim Khaled Abdulhafiz El-Keib, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical engineering, entrepreneur, and Libyan politician from the city of Sabratha...
. Prior to the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
, Ben Yezza served as "chairman of the operator's management committee" for Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
oil company Eni
Eni
Eni S.p.A. is an Italian multinational oil and gas company, present in 70 countries, and currently Italy's largest industrial company with a market capitalization of 87.7 billion euros , as of July 24, 2008...
. He also worked for Libya's national oil company
National Oil Company
A national oil company is an oil company fully or in the majority owned by a national government. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, NOCs accounted for 52% global oil production and controlled 88% of proven oil reserves in 2007.Due to their increasing dominance over...
during Libya's governance by Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, but he quit the company voluntarily due to reported differences with its then-leader Shokri Ghanem, a member of Gaddafi's inner circle.
Ben Yezza was originally considered for an appointment to government under the interim administration of Mahmoud Jibril
Mahmoud Jibril
Mahmoud Jibril el-Warfally , also transcribed Jabril or Jebril or Gebril, is a Libyan politician who served as the interim Prime Minister of Libya for seven and a half months during the 2011 Libyan civil war, chairing the executive board of the National Transitional Council from 5 March 2011 to 23...
, the National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
's prime minister during the fight to overthrow Gaddafi. Jibril's overt contemplation of naming Ben Yezza, who was ultimately passed over in favor of retaining Deputy Prime Minister Ali Tarhouni
Ali Tarhouni
Ali Abdussalam Tarhouni is a Libyan economist and politician. Tarhouni served as the minister for oil and finance on the National Transitional Council, the provisional governing authority in Libya, from 23 March 2011 to 22 November 2011...
, to head the Oil Ministry was seen by some analysts as a gesture to the government of Italy, a major investor in Libyan oilfields and an important supporter of the 2011 uprising. Ben Yezza was ultimately given the portfolio of Oil Minister by Jibril's successor, Abdurrahim El-Keib
Abdurrahim El-Keib
Abdurrahim Khaled Abdulhafiz El-Keib, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical engineering, entrepreneur, and Libyan politician from the city of Sabratha...
, on 22 November 2011.