Nawaf Salam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nawaf Salam
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نوّاف سلام
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Salam in 2025
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| 53rd Prime Minister of Lebanon | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 8 February 2025 |
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| President | Joseph Aoun | ||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Tarek Mitri | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Najib Mikati | ||||||||||||||||||
| President of the International Court of Justice | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 February 2024 – 14 January 2025 |
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| Vice President | Julia Sebutinde | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Joan Donoghue | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Yuji Iwasawa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Judge of the International Court of Justice | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 February 2018 – 14 January 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Christopher Greenwood | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam
15 December 1953 Beirut, Lebanon |
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| Political party | Independent | ||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Sahar Baassiri | ||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Salim Ali Salam (grandfather) Saeb Salam (uncle) Tammam Salam (cousin) |
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| Education | International College, Beirut | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Harvard University (LLM) Sciences Po (PhD) Sorbonne University (PhD) |
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| Occupation | International Judge • Diplomat • Academic • Politician | ||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  |
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Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam (Arabic: نوّاف عبد الله سليم سلام; born 15 December 1953) is a Lebanese politician, diplomat, and judge. He has been the 53rd Prime Minister of Lebanon since 8 February 2025.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Salam was a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He served there for a nine-year term starting in 2018. He was also Lebanon's Ambassador to the United Nations in New York from 2007 to 2017. During that time, he was President of the Security Council and Vice President of the General Assembly. In 2024, he became the 27th president of the ICJ. He was the first Lebanese judge and the second Arab judge to hold this important position. He left the court after being chosen as Prime Minister.
Nawaf Salam comes from a well-known political family. He studied in France and the United States. He worked as a university teacher and a lawyer before his public service roles.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nawaf Salam was born in Beirut, Lebanon. His family is very important in Lebanese politics. His grandfather, Salim Salam, was a leader in the "Beirut Reform Movement." He was elected to the Ottoman parliament in 1912.
His uncle, Saeb Salam, helped Lebanon gain independence from France. He served as Prime Minister of Lebanon four times between 1952 and 1973. Nawaf Salam's cousin, Tammam Salam, was also Prime Minister from 2014 to 2016.
Nawaf Salam has several advanced degrees. He earned a Doctorate in Political Science from Sciences Po in Paris (1992). He also has a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Harvard Law School (1991). Additionally, he holds a Doctorate in History from the Sorbonne (1979).
Career Highlights
Legal and Academic Work
From 1979 to 1981, Salam taught modern Middle East history at Sorbonne University. He then spent a year as a visiting scholar at Harvard University. Between 1985 and 1989, he taught at the American University of Beirut. During this time, he also worked as a lawyer.
He continued his legal work and teaching of International Law at the American University of Beirut. In 2005, he became an associate professor of Political Science. From 2005 to 2007, he led the Political Studies and Public Administration Department.
Public Service Roles
Salam was involved in several public service roles. He was a member of the Economic and Social Council of Lebanon from 1999 to 2002. He also served on the Lebanese National Commission of UNESCO.
In 2005 and 2006, he helped prepare a new election law for Lebanon. He was also on the board of a group called the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies. This group works to improve how Lebanon and other Arab countries are governed.
Ambassador to the United Nations
From July 2007 to December 2017, Nawaf Salam was Lebanon's Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. In this role, he spoke often to the United Nations Security Council. He called for peace in South Lebanon and asked for the UN resolution 1701 to be followed.
He also worked to protect civilians during the Syrian conflict. He pushed for justice in the case of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. Lebanon was a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2010 and 2011. Salam served as the President of the Security Council in May 2010 and September 2011.
He was also the Vice-President of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2012 to September 2013. He even acted as President of the General Assembly in July 2013.
Judge at the International Court of Justice
On 9 November 2017, Salam was elected as a judge for the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He received many votes from the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. He was the second Lebanese person to become an ICJ judge.
On 6 February 2024, he was elected as the President of the ICJ. This happened around the same time as the first hearing for South Africa's lawsuit against Israel. Salam took over this important case.
Becoming Prime Minister
Nawaf Salam was considered for Prime Minister in 2022. However, Najib Mikati was chosen instead.
After Joseph Aoun was elected as president of Lebanon on 9 January 2025, many members of parliament agreed to nominate Salam. His nomination was supported by many Western and Arab countries. On 13 January 2025, 84 out of 128 members of parliament nominated him. This made him the Prime Minister-designate of Lebanon. He flew to Lebanon on 14 January and resigned from the International Court of Justice that same day.
Prime Minister of Lebanon (2025–present)
As Prime Minister, Salam has stated his goal to unite different political groups. He wants to make sure the Lebanese government has authority over all of its land. He also supports fully carrying out U.N. Resolution 1701.
He promised to restart investigations into the Beirut port explosion. He also suggested working with international partners. On 16 January 2025, it was announced that the investigation had indeed resumed.
President Joseph Aoun confirmed Salam's cabinet on 8 February 2025.
In his first TV interview, Salam stressed the need for big changes to help people trust the government again. He talked about fixing the banking system to attract investments and protect savings. He also called for an independent judiciary. He believes this is key for protecting freedoms, rights, and investments.
Salam also wants to fully use the Taif Agreement, especially for local government. He warned that delays make national problems worse. He repeated his commitment to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. This resolution says the government should be the only one with weapons and control security. He also said he would not allow solutions that would take away citizens' savings. On 26 February 2025, Salam's government won a vote of confidence in parliament.
On the 50th anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War, he asked everyone to think about the past and work to build a united country. He said that everyone lost in the conflict. He stressed that the government must be strong and that only official armed forces should have weapons. He also urged the government to seriously address the issue of missing people. To remember the anniversary, Salam called for a moment of silence across the country on April 13.
Personal Life
Nawaf Salam is married to Sahar Baassiri. She is a writer and Lebanon's Ambassador to UNESCO. They have two sons, Abdallah and Marwan. Salam is from a well-known Sunni Muslim family in Beirut. In Lebanon, the Prime Minister is always chosen from the Sunni community.
In a 2025 press conference, it was shared that Salam has a private pilot license. He enjoys flying planes as a hobby.
Awards and Honors
In 2012, Salam received the French Legion of Honour (Légion d'honneur). He was given the rank of Officer (Officier) by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Publications
Salam has written many books and articles. His writings cover topics like political and legal changes, election laws, and fighting corruption. He also writes about making the justice system independent and strengthening the rule of law. He has also written about citizenship and civil society in the Arab world, and how international law has grown.
Books
- Editor and Contributor: Lebanon in the Security Council, 2010-2011 (in Arabic), Dar Al Saqi, Beirut, 2013.
- Editor and Contributor: Le Moyen-Orient à l'Epreuve de l'Irak, Actes-Sud/Sindbad, Paris, 2005.
- Editor and Contributor: Options for Lebanon, I.B.Tauris, London and New York, 2004.
- Co-editor with Theodor Hanf and Contributor: Lebanon in Limbo, Nomos, Baden-Baden, 2003.
- Co-editor with Fares Sassine, Lebanon. A Century in Pictures (Trilingual English-French-Arabic), Dar An-Nahar, Beirut, 2003.
- Civil Society in the Arab World: The Historical and Political Dimensions, Islamic Legal Studies Program, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, 2002.
- La condition libanaise. Communautés, citoyen, Etat; suivi de: La citoyenneté en pays d'Islam. Dar An-Nahar, Beirut, 1998.
- Mythes et Politiques au Liban. Trois Essais, Fiches du Monde Arabe, Beirut, 1987.
- Prospects for Lebanon. An Essay on Political Opportunities and Constraints, C.L.S., Oxford, 1987.
See also
In Spanish: Nawaf Salam para niños
