Ahmed Shafik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Air Marshal
Ahmed Shafik
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أحمد شفيق
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Official portrait, 2011
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| Prime Minister of Egypt | |
| In office 29 January 2011 – 3 March 2011 |
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| President |
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| Preceded by | Ahmed Nazif |
| Succeeded by | Essam Sharaf |
| Minister of Civil Aviation | |
| In office 18 September 2002 – 28 January 2011 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Abdel Rahman Nasser |
| Succeeded by | Ibrahim Manaa |
| Commander of the Air Force | |
| In office 7 April 1996 – 1 March 2002 |
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| President | Hosni Mubarak |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Abdel Rahman Nasser |
| Succeeded by | Magdy Galal Sharawi |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ahmed Mohamed Shafik Zaki
25 November 1941 Cairo, Kingdom of Egypt |
| Political party | Egyptian National Movement (December 2012 - Present) |
| Spouse | Azza Tawfiq |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Medal of Military Duty |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Egypt |
| Branch/service |  Egyptian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1961–2002 |
| Rank |  Air Marshal |
| Battles/wars |
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Air Marshal Ahmed Mohamed Shafik Zaki (born 25 November 1941) is an Egyptian politician. He was a high-ranking officer in the Egyptian Air Force. Later, he served as the Prime Minister of Egypt for a short time in 2011.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Shafik was the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force from 1996 to 2002. He reached the rank of Air Marshal, which is a very senior position. After his military career, he became the Minister of Civil Aviation from 2002 to 2011.
In 2011, he was appointed Prime Minister by President Hosni Mubarak during a time of big changes in Egypt. He only held the position for about a month. He later ran for president in 2012 but did not win.
Who is Ahmed Shafik?
Ahmed Shafik is a well-known figure in Egypt. He has had a long career in both the military and government. He is recognized for his leadership roles.
Early Life and Education
Ahmed Shafik was born in Heliopolis, a district in Cairo, on 25 November 1941. His parents were important members of Egyptian society. His father worked in the irrigation ministry. His mother was the daughter of a famous eye doctor.
After finishing high school, he joined the Egyptian Air Academy in 1962. He graduated at age 21 and became part of the Egyptian Air Force (EAF). Later, he continued his studies. He earned a master's degree in military science. He also completed fellowships from important military colleges. He even earned a PhD in "The National Strategy of Outer-Space."
Military Career
Ahmed Shafik spent 40 years serving in the Egyptian Air Force. He was a skilled fighter pilot. He flew many types of fighter jets. These included the MiG-19, MiG-21, and Mirage 2000. He was also trained on American F-4 Phantom II and F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.
Fighter Pilot and Commander
As a young officer, Shafik flew Mig-19 and Mig-21 fighter jets. He later became a fighter air squadron commander. During the War of Attrition (1967–1970), he was a Multi-Task Airwing Commander. He then became an air base commander.
During the 1973 October War, Shafik was a senior fighter pilot. He served under Hosni Mubarak's command. He shot down two Israeli aircraft during this war on 14 October 1973.
In 1984, Shafik worked as a military attaché in the Egyptian Embassy in Rome. He held this role until 1986. He was promoted to Air Commodore in 1986. He then became the commander of a group and a Mig-21 Airbase.
Leading the Air Force
From 1988 to 1991, Shafik held several senior military command positions. He was then appointed as the Commander of the Air Operations Department.
In September 1991, Shafik became the Air Force's chief of staff. He held this important position until April 1996. Then, he became the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force. He served in this top role until 2002. He then retired from military service.
Political Journey
After his long military career, Ahmed Shafik moved into politics. He took on important government roles.
Minister of Civil Aviation
On 18 September 2002, Shafik became the Minister of Civil Aviation. This was not long after the ministry was created. As minister, he worked to improve EgyptAir, the national airline. He also helped build a new third terminal at Cairo International Airport. This new terminal was finished in 2008 and opened in 2009. He continued in this role until January 2011.
Becoming Prime Minister
During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, President Hosni Mubarak named Shafik as Prime Minister. This happened on 29 January 2011. Shafik's time as Prime Minister was very short. He resigned on 3 March 2011. This was due to pressure from protestors and opposition groups. They felt he was too closely linked to the previous government.
Shafik resigned one day after a TV interview. During the interview, a well-known Egyptian novelist, Alaa Al Aswany, criticized him. This was one of the first times a high-ranking official was criticized on TV in Egypt. Al Aswany said Shafik was part of the old system that Egyptians wanted to change.
Presidential Election 2012
In November 2011, Shafik announced he would run in the 2012 Egyptian presidential election. His decision caused some debate in Egypt. Many people saw him as a reminder of the Mubarak era. He even said that former president Hosni Mubarak was a "role model," which was controversial.
Shafik was one of two candidates who made it to the final round of voting. The other candidate was Mohamed Morsi. The final vote was held on 16–17 June 2012. Shafik was supported by many who were worried about Islamist candidates.
His campaign focused on bringing back public order and security. He suggested he would use strong measures to restore stability quickly. On 24 June, the election results were announced. Shafik narrowly lost to Mohamed Morsi. Morsi received 51.73% of the vote, while Shafik received 48.27%.
After his defeat, Shafik and his family traveled to Abu Dhabi. He later confirmed this move.
Later Political Activities
On 24 September 2012, Ahmed Shafik announced he would start a new political party. It was called the Egyptian National Movement.
In November 2017, Ahmed Shafik said he planned to run in the 2018 Egyptian presidential election. However, he later withdrew his candidacy on January 7, 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Ahmed Shafik para niños
