Mohammad Safadi

{{Short description|Lebanese businessman and politician (born 1944)}}

{{Infobox Minister

| image =

| imagesize =

| office = Minister of Finance

| primeminister = Najib Mikati

| predecessor = Raya Haffar El Hassan

| successor = Ali Hassan Khalil

| term_start = 13 June 2011

| term_end = February 2014

| office2 = Minister of Economy and Trade

| primeminister2 = {{ubl|Fouad Siniora| Saad Hariri}}

| predecessor2 = Sami Haddad

| successor2 = Nicolas Nahas

| term_start2 = 22 July 2008

| term_end2 = 13 June 2011

| birth_name = Mohammad Ahmed Safadi

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|3|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tripoli, Lebanon

| death_date =

| death_place =

| restingplace =

| party = Tripoli Bloc

| alma_mater = American University of Beirut

| spouse =

| nationality = Lebanese

| children = 2

| awards = German Order of Merit

| website =

}}

Mohammad Safadi ({{langx|ar|محمد الصفدي}}; born 28 March 1944) is a Lebanese businessman who served as minister of finance under Najib Mikati between 2011 and 2014. He was also the minister of economy and trade from 2008 to 2011.

Early life and education

Safadi was born in Tripoli, Lebanon, on 28 March 1944 to Sunni family.{{cite news|date=2 October 2012|title=MP Mohammad Safadi|work=NOW Lebanon|url=http://nowlebanon.com/ELProfile.aspx?ID=23|url-status=dead|access-date=2 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107035214/https://nowlebanon.com/ELProfile.aspx?ID=23|archive-date=7 January 2010}}{{cite web|title=Mohammad A. Safadi|url=http://www.safadi-foundation.org/web/mpmSafadi.htm|work=Safadi Foundation

|access-date=2 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909062936/http://www.safadi-foundation.org/web/mpmSafadi.htm

|archive-date=9 September 2012|df=dmy-all}} He is the son of Ahmed Safadi.{{cite book|title=Who's Who in Lebanon|year=2007

|doi=10.1515/9783110945904.476}} His family are businesspeople, running their own firm in Tripoli.{{cite news

|title=Biography. M. Safadi|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jun/07/bae6|access-date=28 August 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 June 2007|author1=David Leigh|author2=Rob Evans}}

Safadi is a graduate of the American University of Beirut where he received a bachelor's degree in business administration in February 1968.{{cite web|title=Former Ministers|url=http://www.economy.gov.lb/index.php/aboutUs/2|publisher=Ministry of Economy and Trade|access-date=5 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221083735/http://www.economy.gov.lb/index.php/aboutUs/2|archive-date=21 February 2013|url-status=dead}}

Business career

Safadi began his career in the private sector in Lebanon in 1969. In 1975 when the civil war broke out in Lebanon, he began to invest in Saudi Arabia.{{cite web|title=Mohammad Safadi|work=Beirut|access-date=2 October 2012|url=http://www.beirut.com/l/17233}} Therefore, he has many business investments in Saudi Arabia{{cite news

|author=Sami Moubayed|title=Hariri backed wrong horse|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MA29Ak02.html|work=Asia Times Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131143238/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MA29Ak02.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=31 January 2011|access-date=18 November 2012|date=29 January 2011}} most of which included the construction of residential compounds.{{cite book|author=Hannes Baumann|editor1=Are Knudsen|editor2=Michael Kerr|title=Lebanon: After the Cedar Revolution|year=2012|publisher=Hurst|page=140|location=London|isbn=9781849042499|chapter-url=https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/lebanon/|chapter=The "new contractor bourgeoisie" in Lebanese politics: Hariri, Miqati and Faris}}

Safadi expanded his business across the Arab world and into Europe in Saudi Arabia. He also worked as business manager in London for Prince Turki bin Nasser, a member of House of Saud. Safadi established Safadi Group Holding in Lebanon in the 1990s.{{cite news|title=Profiles: Lebanon's new government|access-date=4 April 2013

|work=Lebanonwire|url=http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071201LW.asp|date=12 July 2008|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511134105/http://www.lebanonwire.com/0807MLN/08071201LW.asp}}

Political career

Safadi was first elected to the Lebanese Parliament in 2000 as part of the Tripoli bloc.{{cite web|url=http://www.finance.gov.lb/en-US/finance/TheMinister/Pages/default.aspx|title=Mohammad A. Safadi|publisher=Ministry of Finance|access-date=2 October 2012}} He served as the minister of public works and transport from 19 July 2005 to July 2008. Safadi also served as acting energy and water minister in 2007 and in 2008.{{cite news|author=Osama Habib|title=Lebanon to allow price of oil to float if market rises further|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=20 October 2007|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Lebanon/Oct/20/Lebanon-to-allow-price-of-oil-to-float-if-market-rises-further.ashx#axzz2CULbCWJA

|access-date=18 November 2012|location=Beirut}}{{cite news|title=Speakers from the Government of Lebanon|newspaper=The Economist

|url=http://cemea.economistconferences.com/event/how-can-lebanon-reach-its-full-potential/speakers-0#.UWGvxZNSjm4|access-date=7 April 2013

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201212/http://cemea.economistconferences.com/event/how-can-lebanon-reach-its-full-potential/speakers-0#.UWGvxZNSjm4|date=15 June 2010|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2013}} Next, he was appointed minister of economy and trade on 11 July 2008 to the cabinet headed by Fouad Siniora.{{cite news|title=Meet the government|access-date=21 January 2013|work=Now Lebanon|date=11 July 2008|archive-date=6 September 2017

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906114718/https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowspecials/meet_the_government|url-status=dead

|url=https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/nowspecials/meet_the_government}} He was reelected member of parliament in the 2009 elections on the list of the March 14 alliance.{{cite news|title=Lebanon: Wikileaks cables expose Hezbollah, Syria allies|url=http://www.yalibnan.com/2011/05/03/lebanon-wikileaks-cables-expose-hezbollah-syria-allies/|access-date=24 October 2012|work=Ya Libnan|date=3 May 2011}}{{cite web|title=New parliament composition|publisher=Lebanese Information Center|access-date=21 January 2013|url=http://www.licus.org/liclib/LICRD/elections09/New%20parliament.pdf|archive-date=24 January 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124173443/http://www.licus.org/liclib/LICRD/elections09/New%20parliament.pdf}} Safadi was appointed minister of economy and trade to the cabinet of Saad Hariri on 9 November 2009,{{cite news

|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-government-list-idUSTRE5A84B620091109|access-date=5 October 2012}} and his tenure lasted until June 2011.

Safadi did not support for Saad Hariri in the 2011 cabinet formation talks with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman. Instead, he voted for Najib Mikati during cabinet formation consultations in January 2011.{{cite news

|author=Sami Moubayed|title=Why Hariri no longer matters|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MB15Ak02.html|author-link=Sami Moubayed

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218201200/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MB15Ak02.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 February 2011|access-date=18 December 2012|work=Asia Times Online|date=15 February 2011|location=Damascus}} Therefore, he broke with his March 14 allies and sided with the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition along with Mikati.{{cite news

|author=Antoine Amrieh|title=PM-designate camp to counter pro-Hariri rally with 'day of joy'|newspaper=The Daily Star|date=29 January 2011

|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/Jan/29/PM-designate-camp-to-counter-pro-Hariri-rally-with-day-of-joy.ashx#axzz2FKke7BvU|access-date=18 December 2012}} Safadi became an ally of Mikati after this event.{{cite web|author=Paul Salem|title=Lebanon's New Government: Outlines and Challenges|work=Carnegie Middle East|date=15 June 2011|url=http://carnegie-mec.org/2011/06/15/lebanon-s-new-government-outlines-and-challenges/axk7|access-date=21 April 2013}}

Safadi served as the minister of finance from 13 June 2011 to February 2014 in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati.{{cite news|author=Thomas El Basha|title=Mikati forms 30-member Lebanon Cabinet|date=13 June 2011

|location=Beirut|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/2011/Jun-13/Lebanon-appoints-new-government.ashx#axzz28P2g9S1z|access-date=5 October 2012

|newspaper=The Daily Star}}{{cite web|title=The Cabinet|publisher=Embassy of Lebanon Washington DC|access-date=24 October 2012

|url=http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/country_lebanon/TheCabinet.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2013|df=dmy-all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414081913/http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/country_lebanon/TheCabinet.html}} Within the cabinet, Safadi was part of the group appointed by the Prime Minister{{cite news|title=Lebanon announces cabinet line-up|access-date=5 October 2012|url=http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=281192#ixzz1PfBnaPzt|work=NOW Lebanon|date=13 June 2011}} and an independent or non-affiliated minister in the Mikati's cabinet.{{cite web|title=The New Lebanese Government|access-date=13 October 2012|url=http://licus.org/liclib/LICRD/LIC%20Cabinet%202011%20Report%20FD.pdf|publisher=Lebanese Information Center|format=Assessment Report

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004234829/http://licus.org/liclib/LICRD/LIC%20Cabinet%202011%20Report%20FD.pdf|url-status=dead

|date=July 2011|archive-date=4 October 2013}} In October 2012, As Safir reported that Safadi would not participate in the 2013 parliamentary elections in Tripoli possibly due to health concerns.{{cite news|title=Safadi not to run in 2013 parliamentary elections, report says|work=NOW Lebanon|access-date=5 October 2012|date=4 April 2012|url=http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=442930}}

Safadi chairs the steering committee of the Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Committee (METAC) of the International Monetary Fund.{{cite web|title=Steering Committee|url=http://www.imfmetac.org/?q=p:pages/id:4/section:1|publisher=Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center|access-date=2 October 2012}} He was also the head of the Lebanese-German Parliamentary Friendship Committee and a member of the Economy Commission at the Parliament.{{cite news|title=Equitable Growth|access-date=22 February 2013|work=The Business Year

|url=http://www.thebusinessyear.com/publication/article/2/14/lebanon-2012/equitable-growth|date=14 February 2012}}

Safadi's term as finance minister ended in February 2014 when Ali Hassan Khalil was appointed to the post.{{cite news|title=Lebanon announces new government after ten month political deadlock|url=http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/15/lebanon-announces-new-government-after-ten-month-political-deadlock/|access-date=16 February 2014|work=Euronews|date=15 February 2014|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423040118/https://www.euronews.com/2014/02/15/lebanon-announces-new-government-after-ten-month-political-deadlock|url-status=dead}}

In November 2019, amidst the 2019–20 Lebanese protests, Safadi was tapped as the next prime minister of Lebanon, to succeed Saad Hariri.{{cite news|title=Lebanon's Safadi agrees to be next PM amid economic crisis: Bassil|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-protests/lebanons-safadi-emerges-as-pm-choice-for-three-parties-idUSKBN1XP047|access-date=15 November 2019|work=Reuters}} Safadi withdrew his candidacy on 16 November, stating that it would have been difficult to form a harmonious cabinet.{{cite news|title=Lebanon's Safadi withdraws candidacy to be next prime minister|date=16 November 2019|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20191116-lebanon-s-safadi-withdraws-candidacy-to-be-next-prime-minister|access-date=21 June 2020|work=France 24}}

=Controversy=

Safadi has been associated with corrupt government officials and criticized for benefiting from Lebanon’s entrenched political and financial system.{{Cite web |title=Lebanese tycoon Mohammed Safadi withdraws PM candidacy |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/17/lebanese-tycoon-mohammed-safadi-withdraws-pm-candidacy |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}

Deals through offshore companies internationally, as well as his investments in Beirut’s yacht club, {{Cite news |last=Arab |first=The New |title=Lebanese protesters decry army violence, detentions |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanese-protesters-decry-army-violence-detentions |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250121141619/https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanese-protesters-decry-army-violence-detentions |archive-date=2025-01-21 |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=The New Arab |language=en-EN}} have been questioned for alleged corruption and money laundering. {{Cite web |date=2019-11-15 |title=Everything You Need to Know About the Person They Are Proposing as Prime Minister |url=https://www.the961.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-person-they-are-proposing-as-prime-minister/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.the961.com |language=en-US}}

The Guardian reported that Safadi was involved in Al Yamama arms deal through an anonymous offshore company, Poseidon.{{cite news|title=BAE files|url=https://www.theguardian.com/baefiles/page/0,,2095831,00.html|access-date=2 October 2012|newspaper=The Guardian}} The company was allegedly used to transfer money to Safadi, who was working for Prince Turki bin Nasser, Saudi royal and an air force officer at that time.{{cite news|author1=David Leigh|author2=Rob Evans|author3=Ewen MacAskill|title=Lebanese billionaire is drawn into BAE arms deal inquiry as 'second middleman for Saudis'|work=The Guardian|date=2 December 2006 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/bae.armstrade|access-date=13 November 2023}}

He was the subject of an investigation in the United Kingdom regarding his suspected involvement in arms trade, specifically in relation to international defense contracts.

Concerns over his role in enabling Lebanese militia groups' operations were also raised by investigations and accusations made against him while he was Minister of Transportation.{{Cite news |last=Leigh |first=David |last2=Evans |first2=Rob |last3=MacAskill |first3=Ewen |date=2006-12-02 |title=Lebanese billionaire is drawn into BAE arms deal inquiry as 'second middleman for Saudis' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/dec/02/bae.armstrade |access-date=2025-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Additionally, Safadi had reportedly been under scrutiny by the UK Serious Fraud Office as early as 2005, further deepening concerns over Safadi’s international financial activities. {{Cite web |last=Valori |first=Giancarlo Elia |date=2017-11-14 |title=The Power Struggle within Saudi Arabia {{!}} Israel Defense |url=https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/31730 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.israeldefense.co.il |language=en}}

Personal life

On 5 October 2015, Safadi married Violette Khaïrallah. He has two children from a previous marriage. His son, Ramzi, died in a car crash in England on 10 March 2008.

Safadi established a foundation entitled the Safadi Foundation in 2000. It provides health, educational, and social services.