Mustafa Ben Halim
| Mustafa Ben Halim مصطفى أحمد بن حليم |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Prime Minister of Libya | |
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In office 12 April 1954 – 25 May 1957 |
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| Preceded by | Muhammad Sakizli |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Majid Kubar |
| Foreign Minister of Libya | |
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In office 3 December 1954 – 30 October 1956 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Abdul Salam al-Buseiri |
| Succeeded by | Ali Sahli |
| Transport Minister of Libya | |
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In office 18 February 1954 – 19 December 1954 |
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| Prime Minister |
Muhammad Sakizli Himself |
| Preceded by | Ibrahim ben Shaaban |
| Succeeded by | Ali Sahli |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
29 January 1921 Alexandria, Egypt |
Mustafa Ahmed Ben Halim (Arabic: مصطفى احمد بن حليم) (born 29 January 1921) is a Libyan politician and businessman who served in a number of leadership positions in Libya from 1953- 1960. Ben Halim was the Prime Minister of Libya from 12 April 1954 to 25 May 1957. Through his political and private sector work, Ben Halim supported the development of the modern Libyan state
Ben Halim was born in exile in Alexandria, Egypt where his Cyrenaican father sought refuge from the Italian occupation of Libya. He graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the Egyptian University of Alexandria in 1943.
Ben Halim returned to Libya in 1950 to help with the reconstruction of the country following the Second World War and subsequent Allied occupation of Libya. He was appointed Minister of Public Works in Libya's first government in 1953. At the age of 33, he was appointed Prime Minister in 1954, a position he held until 1957. During his time as Prime Minister, Ben Halim supported the growth and development of modern-day Libya. He helped draft Libya's petroleum laws which ultimately led to the discovery of oil in 1959. Under his leadership, the Libyan oil sector was divided into a smaller number of concessions to support competition in the Libyan oil sector. Ben Halim also founded the University of Libya and the Central Bank of Libya.
As Prime Minister, Ben Halim prioritized building relationships and alliances with the West, notably Britain, the United States and France. Due to these relationships, Ben Halim was able to secure aid for Libya from Britain and the United States at a time of heightened Cold War tensions. During his time as Prime Minister, Ben Halim established a positive diplomatic relationship with the Soviet Union which ultimately led to Libya’s recognition at the United Nations which had been previously blocked by the USSR. In addition, Ben Halim collaborated closely with other Arab nations and neighboring countries, strengthening Libya’s geopolitical position. In 1957, Ben Halim resigned as Prime Minister due to a lack of commitment from King Idris to move Libya towards a more open democracy. Despite these differences, Ben Halim and King Idris remained close over the coming years.
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Wikipedia