Abu Bakr Abdullah al-Qirbi (Arabic: أبو بكر عبد الله القربي) is a Yemeni diplomat who was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen from 2001 to 2014. He later also held the same role in the Houthis' contested cabinet formed in 2016, in spite of his former opposition to the Houthis.[2]

Abu Bakr al-Qirbi
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yemen
In office
4 October 2016 – 28 November 2016*
Disputed
PresidentSaleh Ali al-Sammad
Prime MinisterAbdel-Aziz bin Habtour
Succeeded byHisham Sharaf
In office
4 April 2001 – 11 June 2014
PresidentAli Abdullah Saleh
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi
Prime MinisterAbdul Qadir Bajamal
Ali Muhammad Mujawar
Mohammed Basindawa
Preceded byAbdul Qadir Bajamal
Succeeded byJamal Abdullah al-Sallal
Personal details
Born1942 (age 81–82) [1]
Al Bayda, Yemen
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
*Qirbi's term has been disputed by Abdulmalik Al-Mekhlafi.
Abu Bakr al-Qirbi with United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

He was vice rector of Sanaa University from 1982 to 1993 and minister of education from 1993 to 1994.[3]

On 13 December 2009, al-Qirbi urged Iran's government to crack down on Iranian groups whom he accused of aiding Houthi rebels in northern Yemen, holding the Iranian government partly to blame. According to al-Qirbi, "religious (Shiite) circles and groups in Iran are providing aid to the Houthis"; however, Iran repeatedly denied such accusations.[4]

Following the anti-government protests in Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh dismissed all members of the Cabinet of Yemen on March 20, 2011. They were to remain as serving members until a new government was formed.[5]

On 4 October 2016, during the civil war, he was appointed as foreign minister in Abdel-Aziz bin Habtour's cabinet.[6]

Honours

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Foreign honours

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References

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  1. ^ "His Excellency Dr. Abu-Bakr Abdullah Al-Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affair". Archived from the original on 24 August 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  2. ^ "Yemen rebels form rival government - Yahoo7". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016.
  3. ^ "New Cabinet Members' CVs [Archives:2001/15/Law & Diplomacy]". Yemen Times archives. 8 April 2001.
  4. ^ Yemeni FM: Iran Must Curb Groups Aiding Huthi Rebels "Yemeni FM: Iran Must Curb Groups Aiding Huthi Rebels". naharnet. 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Yemen president fires cabinet" Al Jazeera. 3 March 2011. Archived 27 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "October 2016".
  7. ^ Constantinian