Abdullah Bishara ( ar, عبد الله بشارة; born 6 November 1936) is a
Kuwaiti diplomat and politician, who was the first secretary-general of the
Gulf Cooperation Council
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, interg ...
(GCC).
Early life and education
Bishara was born on 6 November 1936.
[ He graduated from ]Cairo University
Cairo University ( ar, جامعة القاهرة, Jāmi‘a al-Qāhira), also known as the Egyptian University from 1908 to 1940, and King Fuad I University and Fu'ād al-Awwal University from 1940 to 1952, is Egypt's premier public university ...
in 1959.Balliol College
Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
, Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, and studied diplomacy and international relations.[ Later he earned a master's degree in political science from St. John's University in the United States.][
]
Career
Bishara worked as a teacher from 1959 to 1961.[ Then he joined ]foreign ministry In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
and served as second secretary for political affairs at Kuwait's embassy in Tunisia from 1963 to 1964.[ From 1964 to 1971 he was the director of the office of the minister of foreign affairs in Kuwait.][ Then he was appointed Kuwait's permanent representative to the ]United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
, and served in this post from 1971 to 1981.[
Bishara was the first secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council which he held from 26 May 1981 to April 1993. His assistant secretaries at the GCC were Saif bin Hashil Al Maskari from Oman and Abdullah Ibrahim Al Kuwaiz from Saudi Arabia.][ Bishara resigned from office in the late 1992, and his resignation was accepted at the GCC summit held in Abu Dhabi in December 1992. An Emirati diplomat Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi replaced him as secretary-general of the GCC.
In 1997, Bishara retired from civil service. However, at the beginning of the 2000s he served as a senior advisor to Kuwaiti Prime Minister, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed. During the same period he was also Kuwait's member on the GCC advisory committee and an advisor in the Gulf affairs department at the ministry of foreign affairs.][ He was also named president of diplomatic centre for strategic studies.][ He is the coordinator of the Kuwaiti – British friendship society.][ In addition, Bishara became a board member and an advisor to North Africa Holding (NorAH) in 2006,]
Personal life
Bishara is married and has two children.[ He is the author of various books.][ He also publishes articles in different newspapers.
]
Awards
In June 2003 Bishara was awarded by the United Kingdom Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishara, Abdullah
20th-century Kuwaiti businesspeople
21st-century Kuwaiti businesspeople
1936 births
Cairo University alumni
20th-century Kuwaiti writers
Leaders of organizations
Living people
Permanent Representatives of Kuwait to the United Nations
Secretaries-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council
St. John's University (New York City) alumni
Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire