Balqa, Jan 5 (Petra) – Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II and HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Chief of the Royal Court Yousef Issawi took part in the funeral of former Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb, who passed away yesterday.

Issawi conveyed the condolences of the King and Crown Prince to the family of the deceased, praying for mercy on the deceased, and strength and solace for his family and loved ones.

The Royal Court head recalled the virtues and contributions of the deceased, "whose death was a national loss of a man who rendered invaluable services to Jordan through the positions he held, where he served with utmost integrity and responsibility, leaving his mark on public service." Abu al-Ragheb served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2003, forming three governments in a row. He also held ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply in 1991, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources 1991-1993, and Minister of Industry and Trade 1995-1997.

He was a member of the Senate and Lower House, head of the Contractors Association, and chairman of a committee tasked with establishing the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

Abu al-Ragheb was born in Amman in 1946, obtained his BSc in Civil Engineering in 1967 from the University of Tennessee in the United States. He was awarded the Order of the Star of Jordan (al-Kawkab), First Class, and the Order of the Renaissance, First Class.

//Petra//SS