Khalifa Ahmad Mubarak
Born
Khalifa Ahmad Abdulaziz Mubarak

1947
Died8 February 1984(1984-02-08) (aged 36–37)
Paris, France
Cause of deathAssassination
NationalityEmirati
Years active1970s–1984
Children4, including Khaldon
AwardsLegion of Honour

Khalifa Ahmad Mubarak (Arabic: خليفة أحمد مبارك; 1947–1984) was an Emirati diplomat who was assassinated in Paris on 8 February 1984 while serving as the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to France.

Early life and education

Mubarak was born in 1947.[1] He hailed from a leading merchant family.[2] His father, Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdulaziz, helped the establishment of the UAE's judiciary system and served as the head of the UAE's Sharia Judicial Department.[1][3]

Mubarak obtained a university degree in philosophy and sociology in Beirut, Lebanon.[1]

Career and assassination

Mubarak was promoted to the rank of minister plenipotentiary and became the permanent representative of the UAE to the UNESCO in Paris on 22 November 1973.[1] During his tenure he was vice president of the Institut du Monde Arabe.[1] He was also named as the ambassador to Sudan in 1973.[1] Then he became the ambassador to Syria in 1976.[1]

Mubarak was appointed the ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to France in 1980.[4] He was shot by a man in front of his residence on Avenue Charles Floquet in Paris on 8 February 1984.[4][5] He died at Saint Anne's Hospital after the attack.[6][7] The Arab Revolutionary Brigades assumed the responsibility of the murder arguing that they killed him due to the links of the UAE to American imperialism and its expulsion of Palestinians.[6][8] Atef Abu Bakr, a former member of the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO), claimed in 2015 that Mubarak was murdered by the ANO.[9]

Following the assassination of Mubarak the UAE declared a three-day mourning period.[10]

Mubarak was succeeded by Ahmad Abdul Rahman Al Jarman as the UAE's ambassador to France.[11]

Personal life and awards

Mubarak was married and had four children, including Razan, Mohammad and Khaldon.[3][5][11]

Mubarak was a recipient of the French award Legion of Honour.[1]

Legacy

A street in Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Al Mubarak, was named in memory of him in 2014.[7][11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "خليفة المبارك شهيد فوق العادة". Al Bayan (in Arabic). 29 November 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. Christopher M. Davidson (2011). Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond. London: Hurst. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-84904-153-9.
  3. 1 2 Simeon Kerr; Andrew England (3 December 2019). "The rise of Abu Dhabi power broker Khaldoon Al Mubarak". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Emirates' Ambassador To France Assassinated". The Washington Post. 9 February 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Envoy for United Arab Emirates is slain in Paris". The New York Times. 9 February 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 Brigid Phillips (8 February 1984). "A gunman pumped two bullets into the head". United Press International. Paris. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  7. 1 2 Samir Salama (19 August 2015). "Brave who gave their all for the nation". Gulf News. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  8. Con Coughlin (1 January 2021). "French courts seek justice for Abu Nidal's victims 40 years on". The National. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  9. "Al Arabiya reveals how Abu Nidal had representatives in Europe". Al Arabiya English. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. Ibrahim Abed; Paula Casey-Vine; Abdullah Al Jabali, eds. (1996). Chronicle of Progress. London: Trident Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-900724-03-6.
  11. 1 2 3 Samir Salama (28 February 2014). "Khalifa Al Mubarak street a tribute to ultimate sacrifice". Gulf News. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.