Osama El-Baz
Encyclopedia
Osama El-Baz (born in 1931) is an Egyptian
diplomat
and was a Senior Advisor
to former President Hosni Mubarak
.
A graduate from Cairo University
, he studied for six years in the United States, where he obtained his master's degree as well as a PhD from Harvard Law School
. El-Baz later joigned the Egyptian foreign service, and was made chef de cabinet with ambassadorial rank in 1977. When Ismail Fahmi
resigned in 1977 to protest President Anwar El Sadat's visit to Jerusalem, El-Baz volunteered to help the president in planning his negotiations with Israel
. He was sent to Israel where he negotiated the terms for the Egyptian President's visit. His colleague in those preparations was Boutros Boutros-Ghali
, who later went on to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. El-Baz represented the Arab nationalist, while Boutros-Ghali was a cautious pro-Westerner.
Following Sadat's assassination in 1981, Egypt's new president Hosni Mubarak
took El-Baz as an advisor. He currently heads the Presidential Office for Political Affairs. El-Baz is generally considered an éminence grise, and is believed to be more influential than most members of the Cabinet
, especially in foreign-policy matters. He is sent on sensitive missions which would be inappropriate for the Foreign Minister to undertake.
Osama El-Baz is a brother of famed NASA geologist Farouk El-Baz
.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and was a Senior Advisor
Senior Advisor
In some countries, a Senior Advisor is an appointed position by the Head of State to advise on the highest levels of national and government policy. Sometimes a junior position to this is called a National Policy Advisor...
to former President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
.
A graduate from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
, he studied for six years in the United States, where he obtained his master's degree as well as a PhD from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. El-Baz later joigned the Egyptian foreign service, and was made chef de cabinet with ambassadorial rank in 1977. When Ismail Fahmi
Ismail Fahmi
Ismail Fahmi was an Egyptian diplomat and politician. He served as an Egyptian ambassador to Austria - 1968-1971, Egyptian tourism minister - 1973, Egyptian foreign minister - 1973-1977, deputy prime minister of Egypt - 1975-1977. He was awarded to professorship. He resigned from the government in...
resigned in 1977 to protest President Anwar El Sadat's visit to Jerusalem, El-Baz volunteered to help the president in planning his negotiations with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He was sent to Israel where he negotiated the terms for the Egyptian President's visit. His colleague in those preparations was Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
, who later went on to become Secretary-General of the United Nations. El-Baz represented the Arab nationalist, while Boutros-Ghali was a cautious pro-Westerner.
Following Sadat's assassination in 1981, Egypt's new president Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
took El-Baz as an advisor. He currently heads the Presidential Office for Political Affairs. El-Baz is generally considered an éminence grise, and is believed to be more influential than most members of the Cabinet
Cabinet of Egypt
The Cabinet of Egypt is the chief executive body of the Arabic Republic of Egypt. It consists of the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers....
, especially in foreign-policy matters. He is sent on sensitive missions which would be inappropriate for the Foreign Minister to undertake.
Osama El-Baz is a brother of famed NASA geologist Farouk El-Baz
Farouk El-Baz
Farouk El-Baz is an Egyptian American scientist who worked with NASA to assist in the planning of scientific exploration of the Moon, including the selection of landing sites for the Apollo missions and the training of astronauts in lunar observations and photography.Currently, El-Baz is Research...
.