Nassif Youssef Hitti ( ar, ناصيف يوسف حتي; born 22 December 1952) is a Lebanese diplomat, academic, professor and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.

Education

Nassif Hitti studied at the College des Frères in

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

, and completed his secondary education at the

Collège des Frères Maristes Champville In France, secondary education is in two stages: * ''Collèges'' () cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15. * ''Lycées'' () provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between ...

, near Beirut. Nassif Hitti has a bachelor of arts (1975) and master of arts (1977) in political sciences from the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...

and earned a PhD in International Relations from the University of Southern California in 1980.

Career

Nassif Hitti joined the

Arab League The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...

in 1981 in Tunis. From 1985 to 1990, he was posted in Ottawa at the Office of the League of Arab States to Canada. Between 1991 and 1999, Dr. Hitti served as diplomatic adviser to the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, in Cairo. From 1992 to 1999, Dr. Hitti was a part-time professor of International Relations and Middle Eastern Affairs at the

American University in Cairo The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...

and a member of the editorial board of the Arab League's Arab Affairs magazine. Dr. Hitti served as Ambassador of the

to France and UNESCO (2000–2013), spokesperson of the Arab League (2013–2014) and Arab League Ambassador to Italy and the Holy See (2014–2015). Dr. Hitti was the Director of the Higher Institute of Political and Administrative Sciences at the School of Law and Political Sciences of the

Holy Spirit University of Kaslik The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (french: Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK); ar, جامعة الرّوح القدس – الكسليك, ''Jāmiʿah al-Rūḥ al-Quddus – al-Kaslīk''), is a private, not-for-profit Catholic univer ...

(2016–2019). Nassif Hitti has been a frequent lecturer at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta and also at various universities in Europe and the Arab World, as well as research centers. Nassif Hitti was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon by Prime Minister Hassan Diab on January 21, 2020. He resigned a few months later on August 3, stating that the country risked becoming a " failed state".

Publications

Dr. Hitti is the author of two books, ''The Theory of International Relations'' and ''The Arab World and the Five Superpowers: Futuristic Study''. and of many papers on Arab and international affairs. He has contributed regular articles to numerous newspapers.

References

Living people Foreign ministers of Lebanon People from Tripoli, Lebanon American University of Beirut alumni University of Southern California alumni 1952 births {{Lebanon-politician-stub Free Patriotic Movement politicians