Former Libyan Prime Minister Abdel Ati Al-Obeidi passes away

The former Prime Minister of Libya, Abdel Ati bin Ibrahim Al-Obeidi, a prominent figure in the nation’s political history, passed away on Saturday at the age of 84, as confirmed by his family in a statement.

Al-Obeidi’s career spanned several decades and included a pivotal role in Libya’s diplomatic history. He served under the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi and held various high-ranking positions within the Libyan government.

During his tenure, Al-Obeidi served as Prime Minister from 1977 to 1979 and later as General Secretary of the General People’s Congress from 1979 to 1981. One of his most significant contributions was his involvement as one of the primary negotiators in Libya’s historic decision to denounce and abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Al-Obeidi was named foreign minister after Moussa Koussa resigned during the 2011 crisis in Libya between Gaddafi loyalists and anti-Gaddafi rebels. On April 3, 2011, just a week after Koussa defected, Al-Obeidi took a plane to Greece to meet with Dimitrios Droutsas to make a peace offering.

Al-Obeidi was taken into custody by rebel fighters on August 31, 2011, west of Tripoli. In a following court case in June 2013, he was cleared of a mismanagement accusation.