Omar Razzaz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Omar Razzaz
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| عمر الرزاز | |
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Razzaz in November 2018
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| Prime Minister of Jordan | |
| In office 14 June 2018 – 12 October 2020 |
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| Monarch | Abdullah II |
| Preceded by | Hani Mulki |
| Succeeded by | Bisher Al-Khasawneh |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 14 January 2017 – 14 June 2018 |
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| Prime Minister | Hani Mulki |
| Preceded by | Mohammad Thneibat |
| Succeeded by | Azmi Mahafzeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 May 1961 Al-Salt, Jordan |
| Political party | Independent |
| Relatives | Munif Razzaz (father), Mu'nis Razzaz (brother) |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
Omar Razzaz (Arabic: عمر الرزاز; born 17 May 1961) is a politician from Jordan. He was the 42nd Prime Minister of Jordan from June 2018 to October 2020. He became Prime Minister after the previous leader resigned. This happened because of many public protests against new economic rules.
Omar Razzaz was born in Al-Salt, Jordan. He started school in Amman and later studied in other countries. Before becoming Prime Minister, he was the Minister of Education. He also worked as a director for important organizations in Jordan and around the world.
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Early Life and Family
Omar Razzaz was born in Al-Salt, Jordan, in 1961. His parents were Lam'a Bseiso and Munif Razzaz. He was the second of three children. His parents' families moved to Jordan from Syria in 1925.
His mother, Lam'a, was active in politics and social work in Jordan. His father, Munif, was a doctor and a politician. Munif Razzaz was sometimes put in prison by the Jordanian government. Later, he moved to Iraq. He died in 1984 while under house arrest in Baghdad.
Education
Omar Razzaz studied at the American University of Beirut from 1979 to 1981. He earned a bachelor's degree from Louisiana Tech University. He also has a master's degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Razzaz earned his PhD from Harvard University in Planning, with a focus on Economics. He also completed post-doctorate studies at Harvard Law School.
Career Highlights
Omar Razzaz has held several important roles. From 2002 to 2006, he was a director at the World Bank in Lebanon. He then served as the director of Jordan's Social Security Corporation from 2006 to 2010. He also led the Jordan Strategy Forum and Jordan Ahli Bank.
Minister of Education
In 2017, Omar Razzaz joined Hani Mulki's government as the Minister of Education. During his time in this role, he helped make big changes to Jordan's education system.
Prime Minister of Jordan
Omar Razzaz became Prime Minister in June 2018. He formed a new government, which included seven women ministers. This was the most women ever in a Jordanian government.
He faced big challenges, like Jordan's high national debt and unemployment. These economic problems grew after the Arab Spring events began in 2010. Razzaz promised to work with different groups to find solutions. He said, "There is no magic stick. This is a long path, a difficult path."
One of his first actions was to withdraw a new income tax bill from Parliament. This bill had caused the protests that led to the previous Prime Minister's resignation. Razzaz promised to discuss the bill thoroughly. In July 2018, the House of Representatives of Jordan voted to support his government.
On 3 October 2020, Omar Razzaz resigned as Prime Minister. This happened after King Abdullah II of Jordan dissolved the Parliament of Jordan. The King asked Razzaz to stay on as a temporary leader. On 7 October 2020, King Abdullah II appointed Bisher Al-Khasawneh as the new Prime Minister. This ended Razzaz's time as Prime Minister.
See also
In Spanish: Omar Razzaz para niños
- Cabinet of Omar Razzaz
- 2018 Jordanian protests
