Hassan Diab Explained

Order:51st
Office:Prime Minister of Lebanon
President:Michel Aoun
Deputy:Zeina Akar
Term Start:21 January 2020
Term End:10 September 2021
Predecessor:Saad Hariri
Successor:Najib Mikati
Office1:8th Minister of Education and Higher Learning
President1:Michel Suleiman
Primeminister1:Najib Mikati
Predecessor1:Hasan Mneimneh
Successor1:Elias Abou Saab
Term Start1:13 June 2011
Term End1:15 February 2014
Party:Independent
Birth Date:1959 6, df=y
Birth Place:Beirut, Lebanon
Spouse:Nuwar Mawlawi
Children:3
Native Name Lang:ar

Hassan Diab (Arabic: حَسَّان دِيَاب|Hassân Diyâb; born 1 June 1959) is a Lebanese academic, engineer and politician who served as the prime minister of Lebanon from 21 January 2020 to 10 September 2021. He was appointed by President Michel Aoun in 2019 to succeed Saad Hariri as prime minister.[1] [2] He submitted his resignation on 10 August 2020 in wake of the 2020 Beirut explosion and served as caretaker prime minister until Najib Mikati formed a new government on 10 September 2021. Prior to his premiership, he served as the minister of education from June 2011 to February 2014 under President Michel Suleiman.

Early life and education

Diab was born in Beirut on 1 June 1959.[3] He has a bachelor of science degree in communications engineering, which he received from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1981.[4] [5] Then he obtained a master's degree in systems engineering from the University of Surrey in 1982,[4] and a PhD in computer engineering from the University of Bath in 1985.[5]

Academic career

Diab was a career academic, joining the American University of Beirut (AUB) as an electrical engineering professor in 1985.[3] He has published over 150 articles and papers in scientific journals and scientific conferences.[3] He called himself an advocate for educational reform in Lebanon and authored books on the topic. He also served as vice president for regional external programs at the AUB from October 2006 to June 2011.[6]

On 13 June 2011, Diab was appointed minister of education and higher education as part of Najib Mikati's cabinet, replacing Hasan Mneimneh in the post. Diab's term ended on 15 February 2014,[7] and Elias Abu Saab succeeded him in the post.

Premiership

See also: Cabinet of Hassan Diab. Diab was designated as the next prime minister succeeding Saad Hariri on 19 December 2019, amidst the protests that had caused Hariri's resignation. Diab's candidacy won the support of 69 members out of 128 of the Lebanese parliament, and his support came from parties that co-form the March 8 Alliance,[8] namely the Hezbollah-allied parliamentary blocs, but did not receive the backing of parties from his own Sunni community.[9]

Diab is an independent, not vocally supporting any political group, and had a low public profile at the time of his appointment.[9]

Lebanon's new government was formed on 21 January 2020 after Diab and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with President Michel Aoun.[10] [11] Diab then announced the new twenty-member cabinet made up of technocrats reporting that they would work on new election law, seeking an independent judiciary and the return of looted public funds.[10] During the first session of the new cabinet, Diab announced that his first official visits would be to countries "in the Arab region, especially the Gulf".[12] He said nothing about abiding by the reforms promised by Hariri and chose to maintain the ministry of information, which Hariri had promised to abolish.[13] On 3 February, Diab signed the state budget for 2020, reducing spending by $700 million[14] [15] and on 6 February the cabinet approved a financial rescue plan to present to the parliament.[16]

On 7 March 2020, Diab announced Lebanon would default on a sovereign debt for the first time in its history.[17]

On 10 August 2020, Diab resigned in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion due to mounting political pressure and anger at the Lebanese government for their failure to prevent the disaster, exacerbated by existing political tensions and upheavals within the country.[18] He requested President Aoun to call for early parliamentary elections.

Personal life

Diab is married to Nuwar Mawlawi and has three children.[9] He is a Sunni Muslim.[19]

Selected publications

Notes and References

  1. News: University professor nominated to be Lebanese PM. 19 December 2019. 19 December 2019.
  2. Web site: Diab nominated as PM with 69 votes. Daily Star. 19 December 2019. 12 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200212021918/https://www.dailystar.com.lb//News/Lebanon-News/2019/Dec-19/497733-diab-nominated-as-pm-with-69-votes.ashx. live.
  3. Web site: Profile - Hassan Diab Lebanon's new premier. Raya Shartouni. 20 December 2019. 6 February 2020. Anadolu Agency.
  4. Web site: Biography. Official Website. 31 January 2013.
  5. Web site: Our People. American University of Beirut. 31 January 2013. 14 July 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170714003458/http://www.aub.edu.lb/rep/rep_home/Pages/ourpeople.aspx.
  6. News: Wassim Mroueh. New education minister eschews political spats. 18 December 2012. The Daily Star. 22 June 2011. 4 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110704091916/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Jun-22/New-education-minister-eschews-political-spats.ashx#axzz2FPwqVpa7. live.
  7. News: Fresh hopes for Lebanon cabinet formation. 18 February 2014. Al Arabiya. 15 February 2014. 18 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140218060611/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/02/15/Fresh-hopes-for-Lebanon-cabinet-formation.html. live.
  8. News: Lebanon, Mired in Crises, Turns to a Professor as Prime Minister. The New York Times. 19 December 2019 . 20 December 2019. Hubbard . Ben . Saad . Hwaida .
  9. Web site: Who is Hassan Diab, Lebanon's next prime minister?. 20 December 2019. 6 February 2020. The National.
  10. Web site: Anadolu Agency. Lebanon forms new government led by Hassan Diab. Mahmut Geldi. 22 January 2020. 6 February 2020. 25 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200125130851/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/lebanon-forms-new-government-led-by-hassan-diab-/1709745. live.
  11. Web site: 21 January 2020. 6 February 2020. Lebanon unveils new government led by PM Hassan Diab. Daily Sabah. 6 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206113135/https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2020/01/21/lebanon-unveils-new-government-led-by-pm-hassan-diab. live.
  12. Web site: Hassan Diab's First Official Trip Will Be to the Arab Countries. The961. Hussein Yassine. 30 January 2020. 6 February 2020. 6 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206113138/https://www.the961.com/news/hassan-diabs-first-official-trip-will-be-to-the-arab-countries. dead.
  13. Web site: All eyes on PM Hassan Diab and Lebanon's deadlock. Gulf News. Sami Moubayed. 28 January 2020. 6 February 2020. 6 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206091615/https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/all-eyes-on-pm-hassan-diab-and-lebanons-deadlock-1.69300426. live.
  14. Web site: Prime Minister Hassan Diab signs 2020 state budget, referring it to presidency. The Daily Star. 3 February 2020. 6 February 2020. 15 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200215052107/https://www.dailystar.com.lb//News/Lebanon-News/2020/Feb-03/500475-prime-minister-hassan-diab-signs-2020-state-budget-referring-it-to-presidency.ashx. dead.
  15. Web site: Lebanon PM signs 2020 state budget with $700m spending cuts. Middle East Monitor. 3 February 2020. 6 February 2020. 4 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200204123505/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200203-lebanon-pm-signs-2020-state-budget-with-700m-spending-cuts/. live.
  16. Web site: Lebanon cabinet approves financial rescue plan. Reuters. 6 February 2020. 6 February 2020. 6 February 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206113134/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-crisis-plan/lebanon-cabinet-approves-financial-rescue-plan-idUSKBN2001DE. live.
  17. For the first time, Lebanon defaults on its debts. The Economist. 12 March 2020. 4 August 2020. 8 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200808015328/https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/03/12/for-the-first-time-lebanon-defaults-on-its-debts. live.
  18. News: Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab to submit resignation following Beirut blast. 10 August 2020. The National.
  19. News: Roadblocks across Lebanon as anger rises over Diab pick as PM. Al Jazeera. 20 December 2019. 21 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191221083239/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/roadblocks-lebanon-anger-rises-diab-pick-pm-191220091929392.html. live.

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