Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, 75, died Monday morning at Qasr al-Einy hospital after suffering a heart attack the previous night.
Funeral ceremonies will be held in Cairo following the afternoon prayer.
In May 2001 Maher became the fourth figure to occupy the position of foreign minister during the reign of President Hosni Mubarak. The declaration of his appointment was preceded with mixed news about the possibility that the post would be filled by his borther, Ali, an ambassador at the time.
His ministerial tenure lasted until 2004.
Maher started his career in 1957 as a diplomatic attache. He was later promoted to ambassador, moving among Egyptian embassies in Kinshasa, Paris, Zurich, Portugal, Moscow, Washington, Lisbon and Brussels. His most outstanding station was in Belgium, where he gained accreditation with the European Economic Community (EEC).
Maher also worked as the presidential national security advisor from 1971 to 1974. From 1978 to 1980, he headed the foreign minister’s staff.
Before assuming office as foreign minister, Maher was employed as the director of the Special Arab Aid Fund for Africa (SAAFA), which is run by the Arab League and located in Cairo.
