
File Photo: Former Foreign minister and secretary general of the League of Arab States Dr. Nabil El-Araby. Photo courtesy of UN website.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigration mourns with deep sorrow and grief the passing of one of the pillars and shining symbols of Egyptian diplomacy throughout the ages, former Foreign Minister Dr. Nabil El-Araby, who passed away on Monday,” read the statement.
“The late Dr. El-Araby devoted his life to defending the interests of his homeland and raising its flag high among the nations in various international forums,” added the statement describing the late Egyptian diplomat whom “history will forever bear witness to his significant national role in the international arbitration that led to the return of the beloved Taba land to Egyptian sovereignty, among other causes he championed.”
“His ultimate goal was always to achieve and defend Egyptian interests, setting an example for generations of diplomats who regarded him as a model, mentor, and guiding light to follow in their careers,” the foreign ministry said in its obituary to its former minister and the former judge at the International Court of Justice.
“On behalf of himself and all the leadership and members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Badr Abdelatty extends his heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy to the family of the deceased, as well as to all his relatives, friends, and students,” concluded the statement.
Nabil El-Araby's life journey (1935-2024)
Born on 15 March 1935, Nabil El-Araby graduated from the Faculty of Law at Cairo University in 1955.
He earned a master’s degree in international law in 1969 and a doctorate in judicial science from New York University's School of Law in 1971.
El-Araby served as the legal advisor and director of the Legal and Treaties Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1978.
In 1978, he served as the legal advisor to the Egyptian delegation during the Camp David Peace Accords in 1978.
El-Araby then became the ambassador to India from 1981 to 1983, before returning to his previous role at the foreign ministry from 1983 to 1987.
He also led Egypt’s delegation in negotiations to resolve the Taba dispute with Israel between 1985 and 1989.
El-Araby served as Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva (1987-1991) and New York (1991-1999).
From 2001 to 2006, he was a judge at the International Court of Justice. Before that, he was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission from 1994 to 2001 and later served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague starting in 2005.
On 7 March 2011, he was appointed the first minister of foreign affairs following the 25 January revolution in Essam Sharaf's cabinet.
Despite staying for a couple of months, El-Araby is remembered for mediating between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah and opening the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Israel in an attempt to end the Israeli siege on Gaza which he had strongly criticized for a long time.
El-Araby was then appointed Secretary-General of the Arab League, succeeding Amr Moussa, on 15 May 2011.
In March 2015, El-Araby led the Arab League as it adopted the Egyptian initiative to establish an Arab military joint force to protect Arab nations in a resolution that has not been implemented yet.
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