NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF LIBYA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF LIBYA PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Giadalla Azzuz Belgassem Ettalhi, the new Permanent Representative of Libya to the United Nations, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prior to his appointment, since 2000, Mr. Ettalhi dedicated his time to writing two books entitled Lest We Die From Thirst and I Made Myself Heard (Point of View) and translating four others:  Tripoli; Meeting Point of Europe and Central African Countries (1500-1795); History of the Libyan Desert in the Middle Ages; The Berbers: Identity and Memory; and Across Tripoli.

From 1998 to 2000, he was Libya’s Minister of Planning and Secretary of the General Planning Board.  From 1994 to 1998, he was Secretary of the Great Man-Made River Project and, from 1990 to 1994, Minister of Strategic Industries.  Prior to that, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs.

From 1986 to 1987 and from 1979 to 1984, he was Secretary of the General People’s Committee.  From 1984 to 1986, he was Secretary of Communications.  He has also previously held posts as Minister of Communications, Minister of Industry, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, as well as Head of the Mining and Geology Department of the Ministry of Industry.

Mr. Ettalhi earned a degree in geology and mining engineering from the University of Liege in Belgium.

Born in 1939 in Libya, he is married with four children.

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