PROFILE - Former Prime Minister Rifai passes away aged 87

Former Prime Minister of Jordan Zaid Al-Rifai passed away on Monday, July 12.

Al-Rifai was born in 1936 in Amman, Jordan. He completed his primary education at the Bishop's School in Jordan, his secondary education at Victoria College in Cairo, and earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a master's degree in Law and International Relations from Columbia University.

On December 15, 1971, while serving as Jordan’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Rifai narrowly escaped an assassination attempt linked to the events of Black September of 1970.

Rifai’s political career

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked at Jordanian embassies in Cairo, Beirut, the United Nations, and London.

In 1964, he transitioned to the Royal Hashemite Court, where he held various positions including Chief of Royal Protocol, Secretary General of the Royal Court, Private Secretary to His Majesty the King, and eventually Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court.

He was appointed as Jordan’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1971 and later returned to serve as the Political Advisor to His Majesty the King.

He was Prime Minister for the first time in 1973, serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense in addition to his role as Prime Minister.

His second stint as Prime Minister was in 1985, again holding the positions of Minister of Defense and Prime Minister.

He served as a member of the Senate for several terms and was President of the Senate from June 8, 1997 until his resignation in December 12, 2009.

He retired from political life on December 12, 2009, following his son, Samir Zaid al-Rifai, being appointed as Prime Minister.