Abdullah Ensour ( AHB-də-lə en-SOOR; Arabic: عبد الله النسور ʿAbd Allāh an-Nasūr; born 20 January 1939) is a Jordanian economist who served as the 40th prime minister of Jordan between October 2012 and May 2016. A veteran politician, he has held various cabinet positions in Jordanian government in addition to being prime minister.
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Early life
Ensour was born in Salt. He studied at the American University of Beirut where he obtained his bachelor's degree in statistics. He then continued to get his master's degree in institutions management, at the University of Michigan in the United States. He also obtained his PhD in planning at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University.
Positions held, current and previous
Senatorial posts
- Member of the Senate Council
1997–2009
2008–2010
2016–2020
2022–Present
Committees:
Member of the Finance Committee.
Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
- Member of the House of Representatives
1989–1993
1993–1995
2010–2012
Committees:
Chairman of the Finance and Economic Committee.
Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Member of the Committee on Education and Higher Education.
Ministerial positions
Minister of Planning.
Minister of Education.
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Minister of Industry and Trade.
Minister of Higher Education.
Minister of Administrative Development.
Media Minister.
Deputy Prime Minister.
Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Experiences and memberships, current and previous councils
Director general of the Budget Department.
The Ministry of Finance Secretary General.
Director general of the Income Tax Department.
Governor of Jordan at the World Bank.
Deputy Governor of Jordan at the International Monetary Fund.
Jordan's permanent delegate to UNESCO.
Chairman of the Jordanian-French Business Club Management.
Member of the Royal Commission National Ajenda.
Chairman of the Royal Commission to strengthen national integrity system.
The official spokesman and a member of the Royal Commission for Jordan First.
Chairman of the Higher Education Council.
Chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Jordan Zaitouna.
Vice Chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Science and Technology.
Vice Chairman of the board of trustees of the Balqa Applied University.
Vice Chairman of the board of trustees of the Hashemite University.
Member of the board of trustees of the University of Jordan.
Career
Ensour was first elected as a deputy to the Jordanian Parliament in 1989, 1992, and finally in 2010. His first ministerial post was as Minister of Planning in 1984. He then became Minister of Planning again in 1985; he also served as Minister of Education (1989); Minister of Foreign Affairs (1991); Minister of Industry and Trade (1993); Minister of Higher Education (1996); Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Administrative Development (1997); and deputy prime minister and Minister of Information (1998). He also served in the parliament in the lower house of representatives from 1989 to 2001.
Ensour was also governor of Jordan to the World Bank, deputy of Jordan to the International Monetary Fund and deputy permanent delegate to UNESCO; he sits on a number of boards including the Arab African Bank, Nuackchott (President); the University of Jordan (vice-president); and the French Universities' Graduates in Jordan (Honorary President).
In October 2012, he was appointed prime minister by King Abdullah II, replacing Fayez Tarawneh. After general elections in January 2013, King Abdullah reappointed Ensour as prime minister on 9 March 2013. His second cabinet was sworn in on 30 March 2013. His term ended on 29 May 2016.
Ensour is a member of Prague Society for International Cooperation, an NGO whose main goals are networking and developing a new generation of responsible, well-informed leaders and thinkers.
Personal life
Ensour married twice. His first wife, Hala Khleifat, from whom he has three children, died in 2015. Ensour's second marriage was to Ibtissam Hiary, from whom he has 5 children.
Honours and awards
Supreme Order of the Renaissance, Wissam Al Nahda, Grand Cordon, وسام النهضة عالي الشأن / Jordan
Order of the Star, Wisam al-Kawkab, Grand Cordon, وسام الكوكب الأردن من الدرجة الأولى / Jordan.
Order of Independence, Wisam al-Istiqial, Grand Cordon, وسام الإستقلال الأردني من الدرجة الأولى / Jordan
Education Jordanian Medal – Excellence/ Jordan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur / France
Order of the Crown, Grand Cross / Belgium
Medal of the President of the Italian Republic / Italy