Ghazi Salah al-Din al-Atabani
Encyclopedia
Ghazi Salahuddin Atabani, also written Ghazi Salah Eldine Atabani, (born 15 November 1951, in Omdurman
, Sudan
) is a prominent politician and physician in Sudan
.
with a Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery. After a brief period of training as doctor in Sudan, he enrolled for postgraduate training at Surrey University, Guildford
, England
, and got his PhD in Clinical Biochemistry in 1985. On his return to Sudan he became a lecturer at his alma mater, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum.
Since 1991, he took up several ministerial jobs, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Culture and Information, and Minister of Communications. As Adviser to the President of Peace Affairs, he achieved in 2002 his most prominent contribution when he signed the Machakos Protocol with Salva Kiir, the current First Vice President of Sudan and Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which paved the way for the signing of the final Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan in 2005.
Atabani has chaired several boards of directors, including those of Sudan News Agency, the National Council for Culture and Arts, and Sudan Academy for Communication Sciences and Information Training.
In 2004, Atabani founded Future Trends Foundation (FTF), which is a leading think-tank in Sudan, active in strategic studies and leadership training.
Atabani is a key figure in the National Congress Party
(NCP). He was elected Secretary- General of the party in 1996-1998 and, as representative of the NCP, became three times a Member of the National Assembly of Sudan
. Currently he is an elected member of the Leadership Bureau of the NCP, Adviser to the President, and Leader of the NCP Caucus (Majority) in the Parliament.
Fluent in Arabic and English and conversational in French, Dr Atabani has contributed many essays and lectures, in Arabic and English, in political thought and current political events. He visited about fifty countries around the world and participated in many summits, including those of Arab League and African Union. He is recipient of the Order of the Republic and the Order of Political Accomplishment.
Omdurman
Omdurman is the second largest city in Sudan and Khartoum State, lying on the western banks of the River Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of 2,395,159 and is the national centre of commerce...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
) is a prominent politician and physician in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.
Personal
Atabani is married to Samia Yousef Idris Habbani, the daughter of a renowned tribal chief in Sudan; she is also a medical doctor who now holds the post of Social Affairs Minister in the Government of Khartoum State.Education
Atabani graduated in 1978 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of KhartoumUniversity of Khartoum
The University of Khartoum ia a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Khartoum. It is the largest and oldest university in Sudan. UofK was founded as Gordon Memorial College in 1902 and established in 1956 when Sudan gained independence...
with a Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery. After a brief period of training as doctor in Sudan, he enrolled for postgraduate training at Surrey University, Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and got his PhD in Clinical Biochemistry in 1985. On his return to Sudan he became a lecturer at his alma mater, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum.
Career
Apart from his professional experience, Atabani is a prominent politician in Sudan. He had started his political career at the medical school. He was twice elected by the Students of Khartoum University to the membership of the Forty-Man Council which is the supreme political body overseeing Khartoum University Students Union. While in the UK he was elected member of the Sudanese Students Union in the UK and Ireland., and also became President of the Federation of Students' Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in UK and Ireland.Since 1991, he took up several ministerial jobs, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Culture and Information, and Minister of Communications. As Adviser to the President of Peace Affairs, he achieved in 2002 his most prominent contribution when he signed the Machakos Protocol with Salva Kiir, the current First Vice President of Sudan and Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which paved the way for the signing of the final Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan in 2005.
Atabani has chaired several boards of directors, including those of Sudan News Agency, the National Council for Culture and Arts, and Sudan Academy for Communication Sciences and Information Training.
In 2004, Atabani founded Future Trends Foundation (FTF), which is a leading think-tank in Sudan, active in strategic studies and leadership training.
Atabani is a key figure in the National Congress Party
National Congress (Sudan)
The National Congress or National Congress Party ' is the governing official political party of Sudan. It is headed by Omar al-Bashir, who has been President of Sudan since he seized power in a military coup on 30 June 1989, and began institutionalizing Sharia law at a national level...
(NCP). He was elected Secretary- General of the party in 1996-1998 and, as representative of the NCP, became three times a Member of the National Assembly of Sudan
National Assembly of Sudan
The National Assembly of Sudan is the lower house of the newly formed National Legislature of Sudan. The Legislature was previously unicameral. The upper house is the Council of States...
. Currently he is an elected member of the Leadership Bureau of the NCP, Adviser to the President, and Leader of the NCP Caucus (Majority) in the Parliament.
Fluent in Arabic and English and conversational in French, Dr Atabani has contributed many essays and lectures, in Arabic and English, in political thought and current political events. He visited about fifty countries around the world and participated in many summits, including those of Arab League and African Union. He is recipient of the Order of the Republic and the Order of Political Accomplishment.