Abuzed Omar Dorda

Abuzed Dorda
أبو زيد عمر دوردة
Prime Minister of Libya
In office
7 October 1990 – 29 January 1994
Preceded byUmar Mustafa al-Muntasir
Succeeded byAbdul Majid al-Qa′ud
Personal details
Born(1944-04-04)4 April 1944
Rhebat, British Military Administration of Tripolitania (now Libya)
Died28 February 2022(2022-02-28) (aged 77)
Cairo, Egypt

Abuzed Omar Dorda (Arabic: أبو زيد عمر دوردة; 4 April 1944 – 28 February 2022) was a Libyan politician who was the General Secretary of the People's Committee (Prime Minister) of Libya from 7 October 1990 to 29 January 1994, and Libya's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1997 to 2003.

Life and career

Dorda entered politics as Governor of Misrata District in 1970, serving in that capacity until 1972. Next, he served as Minister of Information and Culture until 1974, and as Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, until 1976. In 1990, he became Prime Minister and in 1997 he became Libya's Permanent Representative at the UN.

On 12 April 2009, it was reported that Dorda had been appointed to head the Mukhabarat el-Jamahiriya (national intelligence agency), replacing Moussa Koussa.[1]

On 31 March 2011, it was reported that he had been in Tunisia, awaiting a flight out of there, in an attempt to defect from Gaddafi's government,[2] and on the background of the Libyan civil war. He was a part of Gaddafi's inner circle.[3] He was arrested by NTC forces on 11 September 2011.[4] During his detention, Dorda was severely injured (both legs broken) after falling from the window of the second floor of the prison. While his family believed he survived an assassination attempt, prison officials claimed he tried to commit suicide.[5] He was released in February 2019 for health reasons and immediately left for Tunisia en route to Egypt.[6][7]

In June 2021, Dorda allegedly met with Khalifa Haftar in Cairo.[8]

Dorda died in Cairo on 28 February 2022, at the age of 77.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Libyan ex-PM named new spy chief". IOL. Agence France-Presse. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Libyan Dictator Gaddafi Secretly Negotiates with UK Report". Novinite. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Inside Gaddafi's inner circle". Al Jazeera. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  4. ^ William Maclean (11 September 2011). "Exclusive: At bay, captured Libyan spy chief defiant". Reuters. Retrieved 1 January 2021.[dead link‍]
  5. ^ Ghaddafi’s External Intelligence Chief Arrives in Tunisia after Release from Jail Asharq Al-Awsat, 18 February 2019
  6. ^ "Former Ghaddafi official freed in Libya for 'health reasons'". english.alarabiya.net. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Libya: Protesters demand release of Gaddafi-era spy chief Senussi". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  8. ^ "LIBYA : Haftar and Gaddafi's spy chief meet secretly in Cairo - 02/07/2021". Africa Intelligence. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  9. ^ وفاة أبوزيد دوردة في القاهرة عن عمر ناهز 78 عاما (in Arabic)
  • Elster, Robert (2006). The International Who's Who. Routledge. p. 519. ISBN 1-85743-307-6.