Assad Rizk Explained

Office:Minister of Industry and Petroleum
Term Start:1992
Term End:1995
Primeminister:Rafic Hariri
Office2:Minister of Education
Term Start2:9 December 1976
Term End2:16 July 1979
Primeminister2:Selim Hoss
Office3:Minister of Social Affairs and Labour
Term Start3:9 December 1976
Term End3:16 July 1979
Primeminister3:Selim Hoss
Office1:Minister of Oil and Industry
Term Start1:20 December 1978
Term End1:16 July 1979
Primeminister1:Selim Hoss
Birth Name:Assad Toufic Rizk
Birth Date:23 July 1931
Birth Place:Beirut, Lebanon
Alma Mater:Saint Joseph University
Spouse:Colette Le Breton
Children:3
Occupation:Physician

Assad Rizk (1931–2020) was a Lebanese physician and politician. He taught at the Saint Joseph University for thirty years and also, held various cabinet portfolios. He was the founder of the Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital.

Early life and education

Rizk was born in Beirut on 23 July 1931.[1] [2] He hailed from a Greek Catholic family.[3] His father, Toufic, was a surgeon.[2]

Rizk obtained a degree in medicine from the Saint Joseph University in the late 1950s and completed his medical training at a urology clinic in Paris.[2]

Career

Following his return to Lebanon Rizk taught courses on urology at the Saint Joseph University from the mid-1960s. He retired from his teaching post in the mid-1990s. Then he was named as an emeritus professor. He established the Rizk Hospital which was later named as Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital.[4]

Cabinet posts

Rizk was named as minister of social affairs and labour and minister education on 9 December 1976 to the cabinet led by Salim Hoss.[3] Rizk was also appointed minister of oil and industry on 20 December 1978 in a cabinet reshuffle.[2] He succeeded Selim Hoss in the post who had been serving as minister of petroleum and minister of industry since 9 December 1976.[3] Rizk's term in all offices ended on 16 July 1979 when a new cabinet was formed by Selim Hoss.[5]

Rizk was named as the minister of industry and petroleum in 1992 and served in the cabinet led by Rafic Hariri until 1995.[6] Rizk served as the minister of justice in 2005.[2] The same year he also acted as an interim minister of culture and interim minister of education and higher education.[2]

Personal life and death

Rizk married Colette Le Breton in 1959.[2] They had three sons: Toufic, Fady and Sami.[2]

Rizk died on 11 December 2020.[1]

Awards

Rizk was awarded the Knight rank of the Legion of Honour.[4] He was also recipient of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: In Memory of Dr. Assaad Rizk. laumcrh.com. 19 November 2023.
  2. Book: Who's Who in Lebanon. 2007. Publitec Publications. 19th. Beirut. 978-3-598-07734-0. 288–289. 10.1515/9783110945904.476.
  3. Book: John Paxton. The Statesman's Year-Book 1979-80. Palgrave Macmillan. 2016. London; Basingstoke. 978-0-230-27108-1. 779.
  4. Web site: George Khalil Najjar. LAU Mourns Dr. Assaad Rizk. 19 November 2023. 11 December 2020.
  5. 1979. Chronology May 16, 1979-August 15, 1979. The Middle East Journal. 33. 4. 4325920. 488–489.
  6. Book: Ward Vloeberghs. 2015. Architecture, Power and Religion in Lebanon. Rafiq Hariri and the politics of sacred space in Beirut. Brill. Leiden; Boston. 9789004307056. 381–382. 10.1163/9789004307056_010. 114.