Lakhdar Brahimi

{{short description|Algerian United Nations diplomat|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Lakhdar Brahimi

|office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

|image = Lakhdar Brahimi 3 (1).jpg

|predecessor = Sid Ahmed Ghozali

|primeminister = Sid Ahmed Ghozali
Belaid Abdessalam

|successor = Redha Malek

|party = National Liberation Front

|1blankname1 = Secretary General

|1namedata1 = Ban Ki-moon (UN)
Nabil Elaraby (AL)

|office1 = United Nations and Arab League Envoy to Syria

|predecessor1 = Kofi Annan

|successor1 = Staffan de Mistura

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|1|1|df=y}}

|birth_place = El Azizia, French Algeria

|death_date =

|death_place =

|children = Salah Brahimi, Princess Rym al-Ali, Salem Brahimi

|alma_mater = University of Algiers

|term_start = 5 June 1991

|term_end = 3 February 1993

|term_start1 = 1 September 2012

|term_end1 = 31 May 2014

|relatives = Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan (son-in-law)

}}

Lakhdar Brahimi (Algerian pronunciation: {{IPA|ar|læxdˤɑr bræhiːmi|}}; {{langx|ar|الأخضر الإبراهيمي}}; {{Transl|ar|al-Akhḍar al-Ibrāhīmi}}; born 1 January 1934) is an Algerian United Nations diplomat who served as the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria until 14 May 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/world/middleeast/Syria-war-abuses.html|title=U.N. Mediator on Syria Quits|date=14 May 2014|accessdate=13 May 2014|author=New York Times|website=The New York Times }} He was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria from 1991 to 1993. He served as chairman of the United Nations Panel on United Nations Peace Operations in 2000. Its highly influential report "Report of the Panel on United Nations Peacekeeping" is known as "The Brahimi Report".William J. Durch, et al. The Brahimi report and the future of UN peace operations. Stimson Center., 2003. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/William-Durch/publication/238746627_The_Brahimi_Report_and_the_Future_of_UN_Peace_Operations/links/565f6ba508aefe619b289e95/The-Brahimi-Report-and-the-Future-of-UN-Peace-Operations.pdf online]

He is also a member of The Elders, a group of world leaders working for global peace.{{cite web|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/algerias-brahimi-could-replace-annan/story-e6frg13l-1226447307869|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230200341/http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/algerias-brahimi-could-replace-annan/story-e6frg13l-1226447307869|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 December 2012|title=Algeria's Brahimi could replace Annan|date=10 August 2012|accessdate=10 August 2012|agency=Australian Associated Press}} Brahimi is a member of the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, the first global initiative to focus specifically on the link between exclusion, poverty and law. He has also been a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation since 2008, an organization which works to promote good governance around the world. He is currently a distinguished senior fellow at the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a governing board member of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.{{cite web|url=http://www.sipri.org/about/organization/board|title=SIPRI Governing Board|accessdate=10 August 2012}} He relinquished his post as UN Special Envoy to Syria on 31 May 2014.

Early life and education

Brahimi was born in 1934 in El Azizia near Tablat, Algeria, about 60 km south of Algiers. He was educated in Algeria and in France where he studied law and political science. He joined the campaign for independence in 1956.{{cite news|title=Profile: Lakhdar Brahimi|work=BBC| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19463317|date=3 September 2012}} Based in Jakarta for five years, he was the representative of the National Liberation Front (Algeria) in South East Asia, touring the region in search of diplomatic support.{{Cite journal|last=Egreteau|first=Renaud|date=2019|title=La Birmanie, la France et la " question algérienne "|url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-vingt-et-vingt-et-un-revue-d-histoire-2019-2-page-47.htm|journal=20 & 21. Revue d'histoire|language=fr|issue=142|pages=47–59|doi=10.3917/vin.142.0047|s2cid=159393481 |issn=0294-1759}}

Career

File:Lakhdar Ibrahimi as Ambassador to Egypt.jpg, the Egyptian President, after presenting his credentials to the president (Cairo, April 1963).]]

File:Mohammad Khatami and Lakhdar Brahimi - August 4, 2003.png (Tehran, 4 August 2003).]]

Brahimi was the United Nations special representative for Afghanistan and Iraq. Before his appointment in 2001 by the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, he had served the U.N. as special representative to Haiti where he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Brahimi facilitated the first American UN Force Commander since their involvement in the Korean War. Before coming to the U.N., Brahimi, who represented the National Liberation Front in Tunis during Algeria's independence movement in 1956–1961, was an Arab League official (1984–1991) and the Algerian Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1991 until 1993. Brahimi was also chair of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations, which produced the influential Brahimi Report.

On a visit to Baghdad in April 2004 to help determine how and when Iraqi elections can be held, he said that the recent violence threatened to delay Iraqi national assembly elections—the national assembly is to pick the president and write a constitution.

: "The elections scheduled to take place in January 2005 are the most important milestone," Brahimi said. "There is no substitute for the legitimacy that comes from free and fair elections." (Witter, 2004)

Brahimi suggested that the Iraq Interim Governing Council should be dissolved and that most of its members should not have any role in the new government. Though the council was in fact dissolved early, some of its members did have major roles in the ensuing government. The president, one of the two vice-presidents, and the prime minister in the following government all served on the council. Most prominently, Brahimi's criticism of Ahmed Chalabi has led to Chalabi's claim that Brahimi is an Arab nationalist who should have no role in determining the future of Iraq. At the same time, close allies of Chalabi have been pushing claims that various world leaders and the UN took bribes from Saddam Hussein under the Oil for Food program.

In May 2004, Brahimi was supposed to play a largely advisory role in the appointment of candidates, which ended up selecting as Iraq's new interim President and Prime Minister: Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer and Iyad Allawi, respectively. However, Brahimi expressed serious disappointment and frustration about his role. "Bremer is the dictator of Iraq, He has the money. He has the signature. ... I will not say who was my first choice, and who was not my first choice ... I will remind you that the Americans are governing this country." According to a person who spoke with him, "He was very disappointed, very frustrated," al Dulame said. "I asked him why he didn't say that publicly (and) he said, 'I am the U.N. envoy to Iraq, how can I admit to failure?'"Lasseter, Tom. [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0603-01.htm UN's Brahimi: Bremer the 'Dictator of Iraq' in Shaping Iraqi Government] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614105704/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0603-01.htm |date=14 June 2012 }}, 3 June 2004. Retrieved 15 June 2008. Brahimi announced his resignation, resulting from "great difficulties and frustration experienced during his assignment in Iraq", at the UN in New York on 12 June.{{cite web| url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/brahimi-quits-post-as-un-envoy-in-iraq-1.125060|title=Brahimi quits post as UN envoy in Iraq|work=Haaretz|date=13 June 2004|accessdate=10 August 2012|author=Shlomo Shamir}} While serving as the United Nations envoy to Iraq, he described Israel's policy towards the Palestinians as "the big poison in the region".[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3653625.stm UN envoy condemns Israeli policy] BBC News, 23 April 2004

On 5 February 2008, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed Brahimi to lead a panel investigation on United Nations staff security in the wake of the Algiers bombings of 11 December 2007.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7230994.stm Algerian blasts suspects arrested], BBC News, 6 February 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008. He was one of the founders of the French language Journal of Palestine Studies called La revue d'étude palestinienne.

On 17 August 2012, Brahimi was appointed by the United Nations as the new peace envoy to Syria, replacing Kofi Annan.{{cite news|last=Gladstone|first=Rick|title=Veteran Algerian Statesman to Succeed Annan as Special Syrian Envoy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/world/middleeast/lakhdar-brahimi-algerian-statesman-to-succeed-kofi-annan-as-special-syrian-envoy.html|accessdate=17 August 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=17 August 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/world/1506880-un-algerias-brahimi-will-replace-annan-syria.html#.671820-stage-hero1-2 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104011831/http://www.mail.com/in-en/news/world/1506880-un-algerias-brahimi-will-replace-annan-syria.html%23.671820-stage-hero1-2#.671820-stage-hero1-2 |url-status=dead|title=UN: Algeria's Brahimi will replace Annan in Syria |work=Mail.com |archive-date=4 January 2013 }}

File:Secretary Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, UN Special Envoy Brahimi Walk Through UN Headquarters (9733310567).jpg and Sergey Lavrov (Geneva, September 13, 2013).]]

On 13 May 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that Brahimi would resign as the special envoy to Syria on 31 May 2014.{{cite web|title=UN Special Representative to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi resigns|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/05/un-special-representative-to-syria-lakhdar-brahimi-resigns/|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|work=Biharprabha|accessdate=13 May 2014}}

Brahimi addressed a police academy in December 2016, expressing his wish that Algeria and Morocco should “leave the Sahara issue aside in an effort to build a communal economy based on exchange.” His statement caused shockwaves in Algeria.{{Cite news|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2016/12/203717/lakhdar-brahimi-calls-for-reopening-morocco-algerian-borders/|title=Lakhdar Brahimi Calls for Reopening Morocco-Algerian Borders}}

In March 2019, he is mandated by Abdelaziz Bouteflika to preside over the national conference that is to propose a new constitution and set the date of the presidential election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/748861/politique/algerie-lakhdar-brahimi-jespere-que-le-president-de-la-conference-nationale-sera-plus-competent-que-moi/|title='Lakhdar Brahimi : "J'espère que le président de la conférence nationale sera plus compétent que moi"'}}

File:Lakhdar Brahimi and Jimmy Carter (9361815919).jpg (New York, 24 July 2013)]]

Career history

File:130202-D-NI589-118 (8444868687).jpg (Munich, 7 February 2013)]]

National Liberation Front Representative to Indonesia: 1956–1961
Ambassador to Egypt, Sudan and the Arab League: 1963–1970
Ambassador to the United Kingdom: 1971–1979
Diplomatic Adviser to the President: 1982–1984
Undersecretary General of the Arab League: 1984–1991
Arab League Special Envoy for Lebanon: 1989–1991
Foreign Minister of Algeria: 5 June 1991 – 3 February 1993
Rapporteur to the Earth Summit: 3 June 1992 – 14 June 1992
United Nations Special Envoy for South Africa: December 1993 – June 1994
United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti: 1994–1996
From 1996-1997, he also undertook a series of special missions to Zaire, Cameroon, Yemen, Burundi, Angola, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan and Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the United Nations.{{cite web|title=LAKHDAR BRAHIMI Special Adviser to the Secretary-General|url=https://www.un.org/NEWS/dh/iraq/brahimi-bio-jan04.html|publisher=UNITED NATIONS|accessdate=24 October 2016}}
United Nations Special Envoy for Afghanistan: July 1997 – October 1999
Chairperson of the Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations: 7 March 2000 – 17 August 2000
United Nations Special Envoy for Afghanistan: 3 October 2001 – 31 December 2004
Chairperson of the Bonn Conference: 24 November 2001 – 5 December 2001
Special Adviser and Undersecretary General of the United Nations: 2004–2005
United Nations Special Envoy for Iraq: 1 January 2004 – 12 June 2004
Visiting Professor of the Institute for Advanced Study: 2006–2008
Member of The Elders: 2007–present
Chairperson of the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of United Nations Personnel and Premises Worldwide: 5 February 2008 – 9 June 2008
United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy for Syria: 2012–2014{{cite web|author=Ian Black, Middle East editor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/01/un-search-syria-envoy-lakhdar-brahimi-quit |title=UN looking for Syria envoy as Brahimi prepares to quit after failed peace talks |work=The Guardian |date=May 2014 }}

Honours and awards

=Honours=

{{flag|Algeria}}: First Class of the National Order of Merit
{{flag|Chile}}: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
{{flag|France}}: Commander of the Order of Legion of Honour
{{flag|Jordan}}: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance
{{flag|South Africa}}: Grand Officer of the Order of Good Hope
{{flag|Tunisia}}: Commander of the Order of the Republic
{{flag|USA}}: Medal of the Four Freedoms Award
{{flag|Yemen}}: Collar of the Order of the Unity

=Awards=

File:Henry Bellingham with members of The Elders group (5432865721).jpg, Gro Harlem Brundtland and Henry Bellingham, Baron Bellingham (London, 10 February 2011).]]

2016: Human Rights Prize of the National Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (France)
2016: Emir Abdelkader Prize for Living Together{{Cite web |url=https://www.liberte-algerie.com/actualite/lakhdar-brahimi-federico-mayor-et-raymond-chretien-laureats-255238|title=Prix Émir Abdelkader du vivre ensemble : Lakhdar Brahimi, Federico Mayor et Raymond Chrétien lauréats|date=24 September 2016}}
2014: Wateler Peace Prize
2011: Laureate of the Special Jury Prize for Conflict Prevention laureate of the Special Jury Prize awarded by the Fondation Chirac{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/18499342 |title=Video on the 2010 Conflict Prevention Prize ceremony |publisher=Vimeo.com |date=6 January 2011}}
2006: Hesse Peace Prize
2004: Dag Hammarskjöld Medal of Honor{{Cite web |url=https://www.un.org/press/fr/2004/SGSM9411.doc.htm|title=Lakhdar Brahimi n'a servi d'autre cause que celle de la paix, déclare le secrétaire général à l'occasion d'une cérémonie de remise de distinction à Munich|date=15 July 2004}}

=Honorary degrees=

2018: Waseda University
2017: University of Ottawa{{Cite web |url=https://www.uottawa.ca/recteur/bio/brahimi-lakhdar|title=Lakhder Brahimi|work=Cabinet du recteur |date=2017}}
2017: University of Algiers{{Cite web |url=https://www.djazairess.com/fr/lqo/5244875|title=L'université d'Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella décerne le doctorat honoris causa à Lakhdar Brahimi |date=24 May 2017}}
2016: Sciences Po{{Cite web |url=http://www.sciencespo.fr/actualites/actualit%C3%A9s/lakdar-brahimi-dr-honoris-causa/1838|title=Rien ne me destinait à la diplomatie", Lakhdar Brahimi, docteur honoris causa de Sciences Po|date=27 January 2016}}

Personal life

Brahimi is fluent in Arabic, French and English.

He is married to Mila Bacic Brahimi, and has three children: Salah Brahimi is the CEO of Grey Matter International, a consultant company, located in Washington, DC, where he lives with his wife, Dr. Doaa Taha, and his two children; Princess Rym al-Ali, who was a CNN correspondent in Baghdad during the 2003 Iraq War, is married to Prince Ali bin Hussein. She lives in Amman, Jordan, with her husband and two children, Jalila and Abdullah ibn Ali; and Salem Brahimi, who lives in Paris, France, just a block away from his parents, with his wife Lawrence Brahimi, and his two children.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

Published works

Afghanistan: Negotiating Peace, New York, The Century Foundation Press, 2012.
Arab–Israeli conflict (collective work), Beirut, American University of Beirut, 2010.
Guerres d'Aujourd'hui : Pourquoi ces conflits ? Peut on les résoudre ? (collectif work), Paris, Delavilla, 2008.
Étude d'ensemble de toute la question des opérations de maintien de la paix sous tous leurs aspects, New York, Nations Unis, 2003.
Rapport du Groupe d'étude sur les opérations de paix de l'ONU, New York, Nations Unis, 2000.