Zaki Nusseibeh

Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh (Arabic: زكي انور نسيبة) is the Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE and the Chancellor of UAE University. He has been active in government service in the United Arab Emirates since its formation in 1971, and with the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 1968.

Before his current role, Nusseibeh served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2017-2021), He previously served as Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Cultural Advisor at the UAE Presidential Court, later Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

From the late 1960s, he acted as the personal interpreter and adviser to the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He then acted in the same role with his successor UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Early life and career

Born in Jerusalem, Zaki Nusseibeh was educated at St. George's School, Jerusalem, He then attended Queen's College, University of Cambridge, graduating with an MA (with honors) degree in economics in 1967.

Many of Nusseibeh's family were displaced during the conflict that led to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. His mother, Nuzha Al Ghoussein, left with her family from Ramleh in 1948 and her brother, Talat Al Ghoussein, subsequently became Kuwait's Ambassador to Washington in 1970. Nusseibeh's father, Anwar Nusseibeh who had lost a leg during the 1948 war, became active in Jordanian politics, and held several cabinet posts in the Jordanian government, including Defense, Interior and Education in the 1950s, and stood for Parliament as well as serving in the Senate.

As a young student in England, Nusseibeh was involved in Palestinian politics, forming an Arab Society at the University of Cambridge which held debates and invited speakers on topical issues in contemporary Arab politics. He instead settled in Abu Dhabi, where he worked as a freelance journalist for a number of British and Arab publications including The Economist, The Financial Times and the BBC Arabic Service. He was soon asked to join the Abu Dhabi government, working briefly with the newly established Civil Service Authority (1968-1969), He then became Director of Information in the newly formed UAE Federal Ministry of Information (1972-1975).

In 1975, Zaki Nusseibeh became the Director of the Press Office in the Diwan (Court) of Sheikh Zayed, In this capacity, he contributed to the development of some of Abu Dhabi's major cultural and art initiatives, such as the Saadiyat Culture District and its leading museums.

He has recently published a book in Arabic about a tribal leader who was a close companion to Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the United Arab Emirates (Sheikh Zayed Wa Salem Bin Hamm, Rifqat Oumor, Abu Dhabi 2019).

Affiliations and chairmanships

Zaki Nusseibeh has served on several public and private bodies dealing with the development of cultural and educational strategies in the UAE. having helped to establish the university in 2006. He is also a member on several other Boards including the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (2005–present), the International Prize for ArabicFiction (2009–present)

He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Washington (2020).

Nusseibeh was the chairman of the advisory board for the Middle East Centre of the London School of Economics (2015-2018), as well as the President of the Alliance Française in Paris (2013-2017). and of the UAE Chapter of the International Friends of Richard Wagner Society (2008–present) and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Agha Khan Museum in Toronto (2016-2019).

Awards His Excellency has been conferred many national orders of merit in recognition of his distinguished service; The UAE Order of the Union medal (2021) Officer of the French Legion of Honour (2015) Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2013) Commander's Cross of the German Order of Merit (2013) Medal for Merit to Culture - ‘Gloria Artis’, Republic of Poland (2010) The Abu Dhabi Award (2007)

Personal life Zaki Nusseibeh's daughter is Lana Nusseibeh, a diplomat who serves as the United Arab Emirates Permanent Representative to the United Nations since September 2013.