Mohammad Tufik Rahim
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Tofiq Rahim (born 1953) Is an Iraqi Kurdish politician. Born in Sulaimaniyah city in 1953, Rahim is currently the official spokesman for the Kurdistan region's largest opposition group.
in 1953. After initial education in Sulaimaniyah, Rahim attended Mustansariyah University in Baghdad
. He subsequently travelled to France
and the United Kingdom
where he completed his graduate studies at the Sorbonne
and the University of Bath
. He was active in Kurdish student politics from an early age and joined the Peshmerga forces immediately upon his return to Kurdistan.
and quickly rose to high leadership as Political beaureu member with responsibility for external relations, in part due to his command of several european languages. After the 1991 uprising in which the Kurd's overthrew Saddam Hussein
's Baathist regime, Rahim was elected as the region's first deputy speaker of parliament. He subsequently held several Kurdistan Regional Government
posts including minister of humanitarian resources (the nascent government's foreign office), Minister of Justice, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Planning.
In september 2003, after the toppling of Saddam Hussein
's regime Rahim was appointed Minister of Industry and Mines in the cabinet appointed by the Interim Iraq Governing Council.
In 2006 Rahim resigned from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
citing endemic corruption and nepotism.
Leadership - Movement for Change
After his resignation from the PUK, Rahim was a founding member of the Movement for Change under the leadership of Nawshirwan Mistefa. He is the movements official spokesman and responsible for the external relations of the organisation. He was a key campaigner in the Change lists 2009 election campaign in Sulaimaniyah in which Change took a quarter of the regions parliamentary seats.
Early Life
Rahim, popularly known as Hama Tofiq was born in the city of Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi KurdistanIraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
in 1953. After initial education in Sulaimaniyah, Rahim attended Mustansariyah University in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He subsequently travelled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
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...
where he completed his graduate studies at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
. He was active in Kurdish student politics from an early age and joined the Peshmerga forces immediately upon his return to Kurdistan.
Career at the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Mohammad Tofiq Rahim returned to Kurdistan in 1979, he had been active in Kurdish politics as a member of the Patriotic Union of KurdistanPatriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
and quickly rose to high leadership as Political beaureu member with responsibility for external relations, in part due to his command of several european languages. After the 1991 uprising in which the Kurd's overthrew Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's Baathist regime, Rahim was elected as the region's first deputy speaker of parliament. He subsequently held several Kurdistan Regional Government
Kurdistan Regional Government
The Kurdistan Regional Government , , is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region in Northern Iraq...
posts including minister of humanitarian resources (the nascent government's foreign office), Minister of Justice, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Planning.
In september 2003, after the toppling of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime Rahim was appointed Minister of Industry and Mines in the cabinet appointed by the Interim Iraq Governing Council.
In 2006 Rahim resigned from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
citing endemic corruption and nepotism.