Najib Mikati

Najib Mikati
نجيب ميقاتي
Mikati in 2024
45th Prime Minister of Lebanon
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 September 2021
PresidentMichel Aoun (2021–2022)
None (2022–present)
DeputySaadeh Al Shami
Preceded byHassan Diab
In office
13 June 2011 – 15 February 2014
PresidentMichel Suleiman
DeputySamir Mouqbel
Preceded bySaad Hariri
Succeeded byTammam Salam
In office
19 April 2005 – 19 July 2005
PresidentÉmile Lahoud
DeputyElias Murr
Preceded byOmar Karami
Succeeded byFouad Siniora
Minister of Public Works and Transport
In office
6 December 1998 – 26 October 2004
Prime MinisterSalim Al-Huss
Rafic Hariri
Succeeded byYassine Jaber
Personal details
Born (1955-11-24) 24 November 1955 (age 68)
Tripoli, Lebanon
Political partyAzm Movement
Other political
affiliations		Independent
SpouseMay Mikati
Children3
Relatives
Alma materAmerican University of Beirut, INSEAD
ReligionSunni Islam
Signature
Websitewww.najib-mikati.net

Najib Azmi Mikati (Arabic: نجيب عزمي ميقاتي; born 24 November 1955) is a Lebanese politician and businessman who has served as the prime minister of Lebanon since September 2021. He also leads a cabinet that has assumed the powers of the president of Lebanon since the term of president Michel Aoun ended in October 2022.[1] He previously served as prime minister from April to July 2005, and from June 2011 to February 2014. He also served as Minister of Public Works and Transport from December 1998 to 2003.

In 2005, he headed an interim government that supervised the 2005 general election following the withdrawal of Syrian troops. In 2011, he formed his second government, backed by the March 8 alliance,[2] before he resigned in 2013. He was a member of parliament for Tripoli from 2000 to 2005 and was re-elected in 2009 and 2018. In July 2021, he was designated as prime minister.[3]

According to Forbes, Mikati is the richest man in Lebanon, with a net worth of $2.8 billion in 2023.[4] In 2019, state prosecutor Ghada Aoun accused Mikati of corruption and pressed charges of illegitimate enrichment via subsidised housing loans against him.[5][6][7] The charges were dismissed on 3 February 2022 by judge Charbel Bou Samra.[8] In 2023, an investigation in Monaco cleared him of any wrongdoing due to "insufficient evidence,"[9] and he has said that the accusations against him were politically motivated.[10] Mikati has been linked to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, as he made his fortune by operating several telecom projects in Syria and Lebanon in the early 2000s.[11][12]

  1. ^ Houssari, Najia (31 October 2022). "Mikati's makeshift Lebanese government to assume presidential powers". Arab News. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Mikati: new government will restore trust in economy". The Daily Star. 28 May 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  3. ^ Hubbard, Ben (26 July 2021). "Lebanon Turns to Billionaire Tycoon to Form Next Government". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Mughal, Waqar. "Najib Mikati - World's Richest Arabs 2023". Forbes Lists. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
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  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Jalabi, Raya (25 August 2023). "Lebanon prime minister cleared after Monaco corruption probe". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Alleged money laundering: Monaco investigation into Mikati closed, his office says". L'Orient Today. 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ Nour, Ali (5 August 2021). "Meet the Mikati Brothers: The Myanmar Communications Kings". Daraj. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. ^ Dehghanpisheh, Babak (15 August 2011). "Q&A With Lebanon's P.M. Najib Mikati". Newsweek. Retrieved 10 March 2024.