Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja | |
---|---|
Minister of Culture and Information | |
In office 14 February 2009 – November 2014 | |
Prime Minister | King Abdullah |
Preceded by | Iyad bin Amin Madani |
Succeeded by | Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Khudairi |
Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Russian Federation | |
In office 1991–1996 | |
Succeeded by | Fawzi bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi |
Personal details | |
Born | 1940 (age 83–84) Mecca |
Nationality | Saudi Arabian |
Alma mater |
King Saud University Birmingham University |
Abdulaziz bin Mohieddin Khoja (born 1940) is a former Saudi ambassador and the minister of culture and information between 2009 and 2014.
Khoja was born in Mecca in 1940. [1] He obtained a bachelor of science degree from King Saud University. Then he earned a master of science degree in organic chemistry in Birmingham University in 1967. [2] He also holds a PhD in organic chemistry at Birmingham University in 1969. [1]
Khoja was appointed dean of the faculty of education in Mecca in 1979, [1] and his term lasted until 1984. [2] Then he served as the undersecretary for information affairs at the ministry of information from 1984 to 1991. [2] Later, he served as the Saudi Ambassador to various countries, including Turkey (1991), Russia and Morocco. [1] He was also Saudi ambassador to Lebanon [3] and was in office from 2004 to 2009. During this period of time, King Abdullah's foreign policy towards Lebanon was highly intense and also seen as an interventionist approach. [4] On 14 February 2009, Khoja was appointed minister of culture and information, replacing Iyad bin Amin Madani in the post who had been in office since February 2005. [1] [5] Khoja's appointment was regarded as part of King Abdullah's reform initiatives. [6]
Khoja's term as the minister of culture and information ended in November 2014 when he was fired from the office. [7] Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Khudairi replaced him in the post on 8 December 2014. [8]
Khoja is considered to be a relative liberal and was close to King Abdullah, former ruler of Saudi Arabia. [4] Khoja is also a poet. However, some of his works are banned in Saudi Arabia, although he himself was the minister of culture and information. [9]
Khoja was the chairman of the General Assembly of Makkah Establishment for Publishing and Printing, publisher of now-defunct newspaper Al Nadwa. [10] As of 2011 he was also the chairman of the International Islamic News Agency (IINA) Executive Council. [11]
In 2020 Khoja published his memoirs printed by Jadawel, a Beirut-based company. [12]