Bouthaina Shaaban
Encyclopedia
Bouthaina Shaaban (b. 1953) is a Syrian politician and is currently the political and media adviser to the President of Syria. Shaaban served as the first Minister of Expatriates
for the Syrian Arab Republic, between 2003 and 2008, and has been described as the Syrian "regime's face to the outside world."
and a member of the Baath Party
since the age of 16, she was educated in Britain
and obtained her Ph.D. in English literature
from the University of Warwick
.
She is married with two daughters and a son.
and his son Bashar al-Assad
. Under Hafez she became an "adviser to the Foreign Ministry," and in 2003 she was named Minister of Expatriates, "a new post created to try to lure wealthy Syrian expatriates abroad — or at least their resources — back home." In 2008 she was appointed political and media adviser to president Bashar al-Assad
. Between 1985 and 2003 she was also the professor of Romantic poetry
at the English department of Damascus University.
Shaaban was particularly visible in English-speaking media after the Valentine's Day 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, when she did several television interviews and wrote several oped pieces attacking the United Nations probe into Syrian involvement in the murder and insisted that Israel
and the United States
were responsible for Hariri's murder.
In August 2011, the US sanctioned Shaaban together with other Syrian officials in response to Syria's crackdown against anti-government protesters.
. Sometime in the late 1980s, Shaaban also introduced Bushra to her future husband Assef Shawkat.
.
Ministry of Expatriates
The Ministry of Expatriates of Syria is the ministry that is responsible for communication with Syrian expatriates around the world. It was established in 2002 and merged into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on 14 April 2011....
for the Syrian Arab Republic, between 2003 and 2008, and has been described as the Syrian "regime's face to the outside world."
Life and education
Born in HomsHoms
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
and a member of the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
since the age of 16, she was educated in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and obtained her Ph.D. in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
.
She is married with two daughters and a son.
Career
Shaaban worked first as an interpreter for the Syrian presidents Hafez al-AssadHafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
and his son Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
. Under Hafez she became an "adviser to the Foreign Ministry," and in 2003 she was named Minister of Expatriates, "a new post created to try to lure wealthy Syrian expatriates abroad — or at least their resources — back home." In 2008 she was appointed political and media adviser to president Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
. Between 1985 and 2003 she was also the professor of Romantic poetry
Romantic poetry
Romanticism, a philosophical, literary, artistic and cultural era which began in the mid/late-1700s as a reaction against the prevailing Enlightenment ideals of the day , also influenced poetry...
at the English department of Damascus University.
Shaaban was particularly visible in English-speaking media after the Valentine's Day 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, when she did several television interviews and wrote several oped pieces attacking the United Nations probe into Syrian involvement in the murder and insisted that Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were responsible for Hariri's murder.
In August 2011, the US sanctioned Shaaban together with other Syrian officials in response to Syria's crackdown against anti-government protesters.
Connections to Syrian leadership
Shaaban's rise within the Syrian regime is due to her close friendship with Bushra Al-AssadBushra al-Assad
Bushra al-Assad is the first child and only daughter of Hafez al-Assad, who was the president of Syria from 1971 to 2000. She is the sister of current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad...
. Sometime in the late 1980s, Shaaban also introduced Bushra to her future husband Assef Shawkat.
Honors
In 2005 Shaaban was presented with "the Most Distinguished Woman in a Governmental Position" award by the Arab LeagueArab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
.