- Born in 1937 in Misrata, Libya
- He was a Libyan Diplomat beginning in the 1970’s
- Director of the Political Administration from 1970 to 1973, Director of the African Administration from 1973 to 1974 and Assistant Deputy for Political Affairs from 1974 to 1976
- Former Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1982 and again from 1984 to 1986
- Libya's Ambassador to France in 1995, and he subsequently served as Secretary for African Affairs from May 1999 to June 2003
- He worked as a representative to the United Nations on several occasions
- President of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2009 to September 2010.
- Co-chairman of the Pakistan-Libya joint economic commission, and received the award of Hilal-i-Pakistan from President Asif Ali Zardari in May 2010