Najib Mikati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Najib Mikati
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نجيب ميقاتي
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Mikati in 2024
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| Acting President of Lebanon | |
| In office 31 October 2022 – 9 January 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Michel Aoun |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Aoun |
| Prime Minister of Lebanon | |
| In office 10 September 2021 – 8 February 2025 |
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| President |
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| Deputy | Saadeh Al Shami |
| Preceded by | Hassan Diab |
| Succeeded by | Nawaf Salam |
| In office 13 June 2011 – 15 February 2014 |
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| President | Michel Suleiman |
| Deputy | Samir Mouqbel |
| Preceded by | Saad Hariri |
| Succeeded by | Tammam Salam |
| In office 19 April 2005 – 19 July 2005 |
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| President | Émile Lahoud |
| Deputy | Elias Murr |
| Preceded by | Omar Karami |
| Succeeded by | Fouad Siniora |
| Minister of Public Works and Transport | |
| In office 6 December 1998 – 26 October 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Ali Hrajli |
| Succeeded by | Yassine Jaber |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 November 1955 Tripoli, Lebanon |
| Political party | Azm Movement |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent |
| Spouse | May Mikati |
| Children | 3 |
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| Education | |
| Signature |  |
Najib Azmi Mikati (born 24 November 1955) is a well-known Lebanese politician and businessman. He has served as the prime minister of Lebanon three times. His most recent term was from 2021 to 2025. Before that, he was prime minister from 2011 to 2014 and briefly in 2005. He also served as the Minister of Public Works and Transport from 1998 to 2003.
In 2005, he led a temporary government that oversaw the country's elections after Syrian troops left Lebanon. In 2011, he formed his second government. He was a member of the Parliament of Lebanon for his hometown of Tripoli for many years. In July 2021, he was chosen to be prime minister again. He completed his term in early 2025.
Forbes magazine has called Najib Mikati and his brother Taha Mikati the richest people in Lebanon. In 2019, there were some accusations against Mikati regarding how he gained wealth. However, these accusations were later dismissed by a judge in 2022. An investigation in Monaco in 2023 also found no strong evidence against him. Mikati has stated that these accusations were politically motivated. He built much of his wealth through telecommunications projects in Syria and Lebanon in the early 2000s.
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Early Life and Education
Mikati was born on 24 November 1955 in Tripoli. He comes from a respected Sunni Muslim family. He studied at the American University of Beirut, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 1980. He also took part in special management programs at Harvard and INSEAD.
Business Career
In 1979, Najib's older brother, Taha Mikati, started a construction company called Arabian Construction Company (ACC). It grew to be one of the biggest construction companies in the Middle East. In 1982, Najib Mikati and his brother Taha started their own telecommunications company called Investcom. They sold this company in 2006 for a large sum of money. Through another company, the brothers also own a news website called Lebanon24 and part of a TV channel called LBCI.
Najib Mikati is also a major owner in a South African phone company called MTN. He owns the high-end fashion brand Façonnable and invests in transport, gas, and oil businesses. He also has many real estate investments in cities like London, New York, and Monaco. He owns a large motor yacht named Mimtee.
Political Journey
Mikati became the Minister of Public Works and Transport in 1998. In 2000, he was elected to the Lebanese parliament from Tripoli. He kept his cabinet job while in parliament. He was known as a politician who had a good relationship with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He later supported extending the term of then-Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.
Many people see him as a leader who can work with different political groups. He is one of the main leaders of the Sunni community in Lebanon. He says he is a liberal and emphasizes his business background.
First Time as Prime Minister
Mikati had been a candidate for prime minister several times since 2000. He finally took the job on 13 April 2005, after the previous prime minister resigned. During talks to form a new government, Mikati was chosen as a leader everyone could agree on. He led a temporary government. He is the head of the Solidarity Bloc, a political group. He also started a centrist movement in Lebanon and the Arab world. In the 2009 elections, Mikati was re-elected to parliament.
Second Time as Prime Minister
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On 24 January 2011, a group of political parties, including Hezbollah, chose Mikati to become prime minister. He took over from Saad Hariri, whose government had resigned. On 25 January, most members of the parliament of Lebanon voted for Mikati. President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman then asked him to form a new government. It took five months to form the government because of disagreements among leaders. On 13 June 2011, Mikati became Prime Minister of Lebanon for the second time.
When he announced his new government, Mikati said they would work to free land still occupied by Israel. On 22 March 2013, Mikati resigned from his position. He said there was too much pressure between groups supporting and opposing the Syrian government. The Lebanese president accepted his resignation the next day.
Third Time as Prime Minister
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After Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned in August 2020, two other politicians tried and failed to form a government. Mikati was chosen for the role on 26 July 2021. He received many votes from members of parliament. Mikati said he wanted a government made up of experts, not political party representatives. This was to help carry out economic changes that Lebanon's international supporters wanted. Many people in Lebanon were not happy with his appointment. The country was facing a very serious economic crisis. Mikati was seen as part of the traditional political and economic leaders. Some people felt that being a billionaire now made him seem like someone who benefited from public resources.
On 10 September 2021, Mikati successfully formed a government with 24 members after long talks with President Aoun and other political parties. When he took office, Lebanon was in a deep economic crisis. The national money had lost much of its value, prices for food had gone up a lot, and many people had lost their jobs. The United Nations said that 78% of the population was living in poverty. There were also frequent power cuts and fuel shortages. Mikati announced that he wanted to ask Arab countries for help and to work with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In February 2022, the head of the Maronite Church, Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, asked Mikati's government to agree on a plan with the IMF to save Lebanon from its economic problems.
Mikati was again asked to form a new government on 23 June 2022. However, he and President Michel Aoun could not agree on a new government many times. President Michel Aoun signed the government's resignation decree just before his term ended. This meant Najib Mikati's government continued to serve in a temporary role.
In November 2023, Mikati announced that his government would complain to the UN Security Council about Israel. He said that Israel's actions against civilians in Lebanon were a "terrible crime." In July 2024, he called for a stop to fighting in the Gaza war. He also accused Israel of committing terrible acts against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Mikati blamed Israel for the 2024 Lebanon pager explosions. He said they were a "serious violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a crime." After a series of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon in September 2024, which caused many deaths and injuries, Mikati called the airstrikes a "war of extermination." He accused Israel of a plan to destroy Lebanese villages and towns.
On January 11, 2025, Mikati visited Syria and met with Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. This was the first time in 15 years that a Lebanese Prime Minister had visited Damascus. On January 13, 2025, Mikati announced his resignation as Nawaf Salam was chosen by many lawmakers to be the next prime minister.
On February 4, 2025, Mikati welcomed Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to Beirut. They talked about Qatar helping Lebanon rebuild, especially in the southern areas affected by recent conflicts.
Personal Life
Mikati is married to May Domani. They have three children together.
See also
In Spanish: Najib Mikati para niños
