Zeina Akar

Zeina Adra (né Akar; Arabic: زينة عكر عدرا‎) (c. 1964) is a Lebanese politician serving as the Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon since 21 January 2020. She is the first female defence minister in the Arab world.

Her Excellency

Zeina Adra
زينة عكر عدرا
Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon
Assumed office
21 January 2020
PresidentMichel Aoun
Prime MinisterHassan Diab
Preceded byGhassan Hasbani
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
21 January 2020
PresidentMichel Aoun
Prime MinisterHassan Diab
Preceded byElias Bou Saab
Personal details
Bornc. 1964 (age 56–57)
Koura, Lebanon
Nationality Lebanese
Political partyIndependent
Spouse(s)Jawad Adra
Alma materLebanese American University
ProfessionManagement

Early life and career

Zeina Akar was born in Koura.[1] She has a bachelor's degree in marketing and management from the Lebanese American University.[2] In 1998, she and her husband founded the Social and Cultural Development Association (INMA), a development NGO to provide educational, health and economic services in Kefraya and Lebanon.[1][2] She was the executive director of the research and consultancy firm "Information International", which was founded by her husband.[1][3]

Political career

Akar was appointed Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in January 2020,[4] one of six women appointed to the twenty member Cabinet in the new government headed by Prime Minister Hassan Diab.[5] She is the country's first female defence minister,[6] and the first female defence minister in the Arab world.[7][8][9] The appointment of the six women to Lebanon's Cabinet was met with "an outpouring amount of comments, memes, and jokes sexualizing and objectifying them.".[10] However, this was rectified at a later stage where Zeina Akar was complimented for having outstanding managerial and organizational skills.[11]

Akar has no military or defense background.[9] When asked about her appointment, Diab questioned the need to have specialists for the job.[12] She has been accused of being affiliated with various political parties, but sources denied this saying she has no partisan background and was chosen by President Michel Aoun.[13] Lawyer Imad al-Hout said “It is clear that the choice of ministers, including the defense minister, was not based primarily on efficiency but on loyalty."[2] The Cabinet as a whole has been called "technocratic".[3]

At the handover ceremony on 23 January 2020, Akar spoke about the right of the people to protest and pressure the government and the government's responsibility to act in the people's best interests.[13] She said her priority was fighting corruption and asked people to watch she would do before judging her.[13] Following the explosion in Beirut on the 4 August 2020, Hassan Diab's Government resigned on the 10 August and Akar will have the function of a caretaker of the Ministry until a replacing Government is constituted.[14]

Personal life

Akar is Greek Orthodox.[9][15] She is married to Jawad Adra, a Sunni businessman who heads one of the country's largest research companies,[7][16] and built the Nabu Museum with artefacts mostly from his private collection.[17] They were married in Cyprus as they could not have a civil marriage in Lebanon as a Christian and a Muslim.[1]

References
  1. "Becoming part of the solution". The Daily Star. 6 May 1999. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  2. Abumaria, Dima (23 January 2020). "Lebanon presents new government with multiple female ministers". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  3. "Profile: Lebanon's new cabinet members, including the Arab world's first-ever female defence chief". The New Arab. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  4. Rena, Nour Abdul (22 January 2020). "A New Government for Lebanon Has Finally Been Formed". The 961. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  5. Houssari, Najia; Takieddine, Randa (22 January 2020). "New government shows Hezbollah 'takeover of Lebanon is complete'". Arab News. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  6. "Lebanon Forms New Government, Falls Short of Protest Demands". Asharq Al-Awsat. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  7. "Lebanon appoints first female defence minister in Arab World". Middle East Monitor. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  8. "Lebanon's new defense minister is first woman in Arab world to hold post". The Times of Israel. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  9. Cengiz, Sinem (24 January 2020). "Women breaking the glass ceiling all over the world". Arab News. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  10. Khalaf, Rayana (24 January 2020). "Revolution Against Sexism: Lebanon's female ministers objectified & harassed". Step Feed. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  11. . alafkar. 16 July 2020 https://alafkar.net/%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%88%D9%81%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Skepticism Over Lebanon's 'Technocratic' Cabinet". Asharq Al-Awsat. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. Read, Nour Abdul (24 January 2020). "Lebanon's Defense Minister Asked the People to Watch Her Work". The 961. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  14. "Beirut explosion: Lebanon PM and entire government resigns after deadly blast". Sky News. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  15. "New Lebanese Government Formed after 3 Months of Political Vacuum". Naharnet. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  16. Verazzo, Simona (24 January 2020). "Prima donna ministro della Difesa nel mondo arabo: è la libanese Zeina Akar, della minoranza cristiana". Il Messaggero (in Italian). Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  17. Porter, Lizzie (14 October 2018). "Lebanon celebrates 2,000 years of creativity with new Nabu Museum". The National. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
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