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Robert Urbain

1930 – 2018

Belgian politician

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About Robert Urbain

Lived 1930 – 2018 (aged 87). Robert Urbain was a Belgian politician.

Robert Urbain (24 November 1930 – 9 November 2018) was a Belgian politician who served as Minister of State from 1998.

Career

A certified teacher of secondary education in mathematics and physics, Robert Urbain began his professional career in 1950 as a mathematics teacher in École normale (Normal school) in Mons. In 1958, he joined the provincial administration of Hainaut, where he held various positions until 1971, the year he was elected deputy for the Mons constituency. He held this mandate until 1995, and then served as an elected senator from 1995 to 1999. At the local level, he was mayor of Boussu from 1977 to 2006.

In June 2006, he was appointed Belgian Commissioner General for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. In August 2009, he resigned from this position in a tense atmosphere, just as the cornerstone for the Belgian pavilion was about to be laid, and was replaced by his deputy, Leo Delcroix.

In February 2011, in the context of the Arab revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, controversy resurfaced in the press regarding alleged ties between Colonel Gaddafi and the politician from Borinage.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Positions held
Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium, Directly elected senator, Representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Minister of European Affairs
Awards
Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II; Commander of the Order of Leopold; Grand Cross of the Order of May; Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry; Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit; Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau; Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru‎; Minister of State

People in Robert Urbain's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert Urbain's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert Urbain?

Belgian politician (1930–2018)

When was Robert Urbain born?

Robert Urbain was born on 24 November 1930 in Hornu.

When did Robert Urbain die?

Robert Urbain died on 9 November 2018 in Boussu.

What was Robert Urbain's occupation?

Robert Urbain was a politician.

What nationality was Robert Urbain?

Robert Urbain was Belgian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert Urbain

· Wikidata: Q2159058

· DBpedia: Robert Urbain

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert Urbain. https://biography.guide/robert-urbain/

MLA: "Robert Urbain." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-urbain/.

Chicago: "Robert Urbain." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-urbain/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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