Boutros Boutros-Ghali

He was married to Leia Maria Boutros-Ghali. She was raised in an Egyptian Jewish family in Alexandria.

On February 16, 2016 he died in a Cairo hospital where he was being treated for a broken leg or pelvis.

He was born on November 14, 1922, in Cairo to Yusuf Butros Ghali and Safela Mikhail Sharubim. He was a scion of an affluent Coptic Christian family. His father was a former Finance Minister of Egypt while his paternal grandfather Boutros Ghali was a former Prime Minister of Egypt and his maternal grandfather, Mikhail Sharubim was a well known historian and public servant.

In 1946 he completed his graduation from ‘Cairo University’.

In 1949 he earned a doctorate in International Law from ‘University of Paris. Same year he completed his diploma from ‘Science Po’ in International Relations.

For three decades from 1949 to 1979 he served at the ‘Cairo University’ as Professor of International Law and International Relations. During this time he travelled and delivered lectures in several institutes and universities including in the US, Europe, Africa, Middle East and India. Many of his scholarly books were published in French.

From 1954 to 1955, he was associated with ‘Columbia University’ as a ‘Fulbright Research Scholar’.

From 1963 to 1964 he served ‘Centre of Research of the Hague Academy of International Law’ as a Director.

He was a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Law, Paris University, during 1967-1968.

His career in politics shaped up during the tenure of President Anwar El Sadat. From 1974 to 1977 he was a ‘Central Committee of the Arab Socialist Union’ member.

According to him, many factors including conflict between ‘UN’ and US on issues like the ‘Rwandan Genocide’ and ‘Bosnian War’; the US Presidential election of 1996 and such others led to the US veto his nomination for a second term as ‘UN’ Secretary-General.