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Egypt-born Saudi government official (1889–1967) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hafiz Wahba (Arabic: حافظ وهبة; 15 July 1889 – 1967) was a Saudi diplomat. Fuad Hamza and he were the first ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, the former in France and Hamza in the United Kingdom.[1] In addition, they were among the advisers whom King Abdulaziz employed to improve the decision-making process of the state.[2]
Hafiz Wahba | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | 15 July 1889 Cairo, Khedivate of Egypt |
Died | 1967 (aged 77–78) Rome, Italy |
Nationality | Saudi Arabia |
Alma mater | Al Azhar University |
Wahba was born in Cairo in 1889.[3][4][5] He was a graduate of Al Azhar University.[4][6] He also attended Muslim Jurisprudence College where he obtained a degree in Islamic law.[7]
During the British occupation of Egypt, Wahba was sent to exile in Malta due to his alleged involvement in the 1919 revolt against British forces.[8] Then he joined the pan-Islamic Khilafat movement in India.[6] He worked as a school principal in Kuwait.[9]
Wahba's first official task in Saudi Arabia was that of being a tutor to Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz in 1916.[10] He also taught Prince Saud, another son of Abdulaziz.[11] In 1923 Wahba was appointed by Abdulaziz as his representative in Egypt.[7][12] However, Wahba's attempts in Egypt failed.[12] He was part of the Abdulaziz Al Saud's Hejaz campaign against Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz.[12] When Mecca was captured in 1924 Abdulaziz sent him there together with his two other advisors, Abdullah Suleiman and Abdullah Al Damluji, before he himself entered the region.[13] The same year Wahba was appointed civil governor of Mecca, a position that he held until 1926.[10] At the same time he was part of the eight-member political committee at the Saudi royal court.[14]
In 1928 Wahba was made the head of the education directorate which was responsible for educational activities in Hejaz.[8] During his term the directorate sent fourteen Saudi students to Al Azhar in Cairo for higher education.[15] The same year Wahba suggested King Abdulaziz establish a body to control and eliminate the violent attacks of the Ikhwan on pilgrims which had negative effects on the income of the country.[16] This body laid the basis of the Committee for the Promotion of Commanding Right and Forbidding Wrong.[16] Wahba accompanied King Abdulaziz in his meeting with Amir Faisal, King of Iraq, in February 1930.[17]
Wahba was made Saudi envoy to Vatican City.[8] He was assigned for the mission of ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United Kingdom on 10 November 1930[18] and held the post until 1956.[19] In 1955 King Saud asked Wahba to return to Riyadh when the relations between Saudi Arabia and Britain became very tense because of the Buraimi dispute.[20] The reason for the end of his term was the diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Britain following the Suez crisis.[21]
On 7 November 1933 the Saudi-American Treaty was signed by Robert W. Bingham, the American ambassador to Great Britain, on behalf of the United States and Hafiz Wahba on behalf of Saudi Arabia.[22] Wahba accompanied King Abdulaziz in his meeting with Franklin D. Roosevelt on 14 February 1945.[23] The same year Wahba was part of the Saudi Arabia's delegation at the San Francisco meeting of the United Nations.[7] He represented Saudi Arabia at the Palestine Conference held in London in October 1947.[24] Wahba was named one of two representatives of the Saudi government as directors of the Arabian American Oil Company in May 1959.[25][26] The other one was Abdullah Tariki.[25] They were the first Saudi directors of the company.[25]
Wahba served as the Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom for a second term from 15 November 1962 to 13 July 1966.[21] It was his last office, and he retired from public posts.[5]
Wahba married several times, including a Kuwaiti woman.[27] One of his children with his Kuwaiti wife was Mustafa Wahba who was the long-term secretary general of the Communist Party in Saudi Arabia (CPSA).[27][28] Hafiz Wahba also had two daughters from this marriage and another son, Ali, from his other marriage.[27]
Wahba settled in Rome following his retirement in 1966.[5] He died there in 1967.[29][30] He published various books, including Fifty Years in Arabia (1962) and Arabian Days (1964) both of which were published in London.[10]
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