Mohamed Habib Gherab (8 May 1926 – 17 March 2011) ( ar, محمد الحبيب غراب) was a

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

Under Secretary-General,

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

n diplomat and senior government official.

Education

Amb. Gherab was educated at

Sadiki College Sadiki College, also known as ''Collège Sadiki'' ( aeb, المدرسة الصادقية, "El-Sadqiya High School"), is a '' lycée'' (high school) in Tunis, Tunisia. It was established in 1875. Associations formed by its alumni played a major rol ...

in Tunis and is a graduate of the Faculte de Droit de Paris.

Career

After joining the Neo-Destour Party as a young militant for the independence of Tunisia he became in 1955 a member of the cabinet of

Mongi Slim Mongi Slim ( ar, منجي سليم, tr, Mengi Selim) (September 1, 1908October 23, 1969) was a Tunisian diplomat who became the first African to become the President of the United Nations General Assembly in 1961. He received a degree from the ...

, the Interior Minister in the government of Prime Minister

Tahar Ben Ammar Tahar Ben Ammar (November 25, 1889 – May 10, 1985http://www.taharbenammar.com/chronologie.php) (Arabic: الطاهر بن عمار) was a Tunisian politician. Biography He was born in Tunis. He served as the last Prime Minister of Tunisia u ...

as it negotiated the process that led to the effective independence of Tunisia on 20 March 1956, and later became the only chief of staff to Taieb Mehiri, the first Interior Minister of independent Tunisia during his entire tenure from 1956 until 1965. President Habib Bourguiba appointed him Ambassador to Spain from 1965 to 1967 and Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1981 to 1987, where he became the longest serving Ambassador of Tunisia. In between his two ambassadorial terms, he served as the first high-ranking Tunisian in the cabinet of the United Nations Secretary-General when Secretary-General

U Thant Thant (; ; January 22, 1909 – November 25, 1974), known honorifically as U Thant (), was a Burmese diplomat and the third secretary-general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, the first non-Scandinavian to hold the position. He held t ...

appointed him in 1969 as the Assistant Secretary-General, Director of Personnel of the United Nations. UN Secretary-General

Kurt Waldheim Kurt Josef Waldheim (; 21 December 1918 – 14 June 2007) was an Austrian politician and diplomat. Waldheim was the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981 and president of Austria from 1986 to 1992. While he was running for t ...

confirmed him in the same office from 1972 until 1979 when he was promoted to the rank of Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and appointed the first Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy from 1979 to 1981.

Honours

Amb. Gherab is also the recipient of a number of Tunisian and foreign honours, including the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel La Catolica of Spain, the Grand Officier of the Order of the Republic of Tunisia, and the Grand Officier of the Wissam Alaouite of the Kingdom of Morocco. He is a Commandeur of the francophone Ordre de la Pleiade.

Personal life

Amb. Gherab married Fawzia Ladjimi on 22 June 1958. They have three children: Habib, Fawzy and Noha.

References

1926 births Tunisian officials of the United Nations Ambassadors of Tunisia to the Soviet Union Government ministers of Tunisia 2011 deaths Ambassadors of Tunisia to Spain {{Tunisia-politician-stub