Lebanon's first post-war prime minister Omar Karame dead
Written by Malek

khazen.org offers its deepest condolences to the Karame Family for the passing of one of the founding fathers of modern Lebanon PM Omar Karame. It is a great loss for Lebanon. Our prayers are with his family.

 

 

Relatives and mourners carry the coffin of Lebanon's former prime minister Omar Karami during his funeral in Tripoli, northern Lebanon January 2, 2015.  REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS OBITUARY)

 

Faisal Karami (2nd L), former minister and son of Lebanon's former prime minister Omar Karami, holds the coffin of his father as people mourn his death during his funeral in Tripoli, northern Lebanon January 2, 2015. REUTERS/Omar Ibrahim (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS OBITUARY)

 

Lebanese army soldiers and policemen stand near the coffin of Lebanon's former prime minister Omar Karami during his funeral in Tripoli, northern Lebanon January 2, 2015.

 

 

 

 

PM Omar Karame with his Son Faysal Karame

PM Omar Karame with supporters during General Elections in 2009

PM Omar Karame with PM Selim Hoss, PM Fouad Senioura and PM Najib Mikati

Omar Karame and PM Hariri

 

 

A giant copy of the original Lebanese flag -- drawn and approved by lawmakers during the declaration of independence in 1943 -- hangs on the wall of a building in Beirut to commemorate Independence Day on November 21, 2014 (AFP Photo/Joseph Eid)

 

Tripoli (Lebanon) (AFP) - Omar Karame, Lebanon's first post-war prime minister  has died at the age of 80, his family announced on Thursday.

 

"With great sadness... the Karame family announces the death of the great Omar Abdel Hamid Karame," they said in a statement.

Family sources said Karame had died of stomach cancer.

His health had been deteriorating for the past two years, and he was admitted to hospital a month ago, falling into a coma a few days before his death.

 

Karame came from a Lebanese Sunni political dynasty -- his father was one of the architects of Lebanon's independence in 1943 -- and served as prime minister twice.

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His first term began in 1990, and was marked by the huge challenges of rebuilding the country after its 15-year civil war. It was a key strategic term allowing a transition back from a divided country to current Lebanese political system.

He stepped down in May 1992 after massive protests against rising living costs caused by the collapse of the Lebanese pound against the dollar.

He was succeeded by Rafik Hariri, a billionaire who orchestrated massive reconstruction projects throughout Lebanon.

Karame's second term began in 2004, but he resigned  following year after the assassination of Hariri.

He was educated in Cairo, and was married with four children, including son Faisal, a former minister.