About Afif Safieh

* Afif Safieh was born in Jerusalem in 1950.
* Studied in Jerusalem at the "College des Freres".
* In 1972, he obtained his 'Licence' with Grande Distinction in Political Science and International Relations from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
* In 1974, he finished his 'Cycle Superieur (3eme cycle) en Sciences Politiques' from the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, Paris.
* He was President of the Belgian section of the General Union of Palestinian Students from 1969 until 1971, then President of the French branch in 1974-1975.
* From 1976 until 1978, he was Deputy Director of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Observer Mission to the United Nations, Geneva.
* From 1978 until 1981, he was staff member in President Arafat's office in Beirut, in charge of European Affairs and UN Institutions.
* From 1981 until 1985, he was a researcher at the Centre for European Studies in the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium.
* Between 1985 and 1987, he was a visiting scholar at the Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University.
* From 1987 until 1990, he was PLO representative to the Netherlands.
* He was involved in November-December 1988 in the Stockholm negotiations that led to the official and direct American-Palestinian dialogue.
* He was nominated, Palestinian General Delegate to the United Kingdom in September 1990.
* In January 1995, he was invited to become a member of the International Board of Trustees of Bethlehem University, the Vatican-sponsored University in Palestine.
* Nominated Palestinian General Delegate to the Holy See, he presented his letter of credentials to His Holiness Pope John ll on November 6, 1995.
* In October 2005, he assumed his duty as Head of the PLO Mission in Washington.
* From may 2008 till may 2009 he was Palestinian Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
* June 2009: was nominated Roving Ambassador for Special Missions based in London,
* August 2009: was elected during the 6th conference of Fateh member of the Revolutionary Council, the Parliament of the Fateh Movement.
* October 2009: was invited by Dr Nabil Shaath, Fateh Commissioner for International Relations , to be Deputy Commissioner for International Relations of the Fateh Movement
* September 2014 he was awarded by The Bethlehem University the degree of Doctor of Humanities,Honoris Causa
* Compilations of his articles have appeared in two books:
- 'Self determination', published by Al-Fajr printing press, Jerusalem, 1986 (jointly with his wife Christ'l Leclercq).
-and more recently: ‘The Peace Process: from Breakthrough to Breakdown’,Saqi books, London2010.
* He is married and has two daughters: Diana and Randa