Hosni Mubarak: former Egyptian president dies at 91

The leader of the most populous Middle East nation led the country for 30 years before stepping down amid mass protests in 2011

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak delivers a speech in Cairo in 2008. Mubarak died on February 25, 2020 aged 91. AP Photo

Mubarak, left, took power after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat, right. AFP PHOTO

US President Ronald Reagan with Mubarak attend the arrival ceremonies in the east room of the White House on February 3, 1982 in Washington DC. AFP

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak welcomes French President François Mitterrand on July 11, 1984 in Cairo. AFP

Mubaraka prays with Yasser Arafat (c), President of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) shown in a picture dated 13 July 1989 in Cairo. AFP

Britain's Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher greets Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak inside 10 Downing Street in March, 1985. Reuters

Hosni Mubarak prepares to makes a speech in the Rose Garden 03 April 1989, in Washington,DC, as former US President George Bush looks on. AFP

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak greets Iraqi Prime minister Taha Yassin Ramadan on August 8, 1988, in Alexandria. AFP

Former US President Barack Obama, right, meets Mubarak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington September 1, 2010. Mubarak led Egypt for 30 years before stepping down amid mass protests in 2011. Reuters

Mubarak has suffered ill health in recent years and was transferred to intensive care earlier in February 2020. Reuters

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak waves to his supporters from behind bars during his retrial in April 2013. He was tried on charges of killing protesters and corruption. AP Photo

Hosni Mubarak with other Arab leaders who lost power during widespread protests in the region; Libya's Muammar Qaddafi, centre, and then Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh at the second Afro-Arab Summit in Sirte, Libya October 10, 2010. Reuters

<p>Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, seated centre left, and his two sons, Gamal Mubarak, left, and Alaa Mubarak attend a hearing in a courtroom in Cairo, Egypt. AP

South African President Nelson Mandela, left, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak award each other their countries highest honours, 21 October in Cairo. AFP

Mubarak with Muammar Qadaffi on January 18, 1996. AFP

King Hussein of Jordan greets Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. AFP

Egytian President Hosni Mubarak and Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said review the honor guard, on June 22, 1992 at Alexandria. AFP

Princess Diana of Wales listens to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on May 12, 1992 on the second day of her five-day visit to Egypt. AFP

US President Bill Clinton meets Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the White House 06 April 1993. AFP

Syrian President Hafez Al Assad and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hold hands during a meeting in Damascus. AFP

Mubarak meets UAE President Sheikh Khalifa in Abu Dhabi on February 12, 2008. Photo: WAM

King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia smiles as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak welcomes him 27 March 1989 in Cairo. AFP

From left to right: Then North Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Jordanian King Hussein and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, wave to the crowd, on June 15, 1989 during a motorcade rally prior to the opening of the Arab Cooperation Council in Alexandria, Egypt. AFP

From right to left; Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Jordanian King Hussein and North Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh attend Friday prayers, on June 16, 1989 during the Arab Cooperation Council in Alexandria, Egypt. AFP

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak speaks to his wife Susan, at Cairo airport, 11 October 1987 AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak during a summit in Alexandria on September 11, 1986. AFP

French President Jacques Chirac (R) shakes hands with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak at the Elysee Palace in Paris 03 July 1999. AFP

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, centre, is flanked by President of India Giani Zail Singh (L) and Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi (R), on November 30, 1982 in New Delhi. AFP

April 25, 2016: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak waves to his supporters from his room at the Maadi Military Hospital, where he is hospitalised, in Cairo, Egypt. AP

Egypt's ousted President Hosni Mubarak sits inside a dock at the police academy, on the outskirts of Cairo June 8, 2013. Reuters

FILE - In this April 13, 2013 file photo, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak waves to his supporters from behind bars as he attends a hearing in his retrial on appeal in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's state TV said Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, that the country's former President Hosni Mubarak, ousted in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, has died at 91. Mubarak, who was in power for almost three decades, was forced to resign on Feb. 11, 2011, after following 18 days of protests around the country. The Arab Spring uprisings had convulsed autocratic regimes across the Middle East. (AP Photo, File)

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is wheeled out of the courtroom after his trial, at the police academy in Cairo April 13, 2013. Reuters

Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian leader who ruled for nearly 30 years before he was forced out by a 2011 popular uprising, died in hospital on Tuesday, according to the country’s state media. He was 91.

Mubarak, a former air force commander and war hero, will be given a military funeral on Wednesday, according to officials, in a nod by the powerful military to one of its own.

The office of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, himself a career army officer before taking over the land’s highest office in 2014, mourned Mubarak’s death in a statement, hailing him as a war hero and offering condolences to his family. The presidency announced three days of official mourning over Mubarak’s death, beginning on Wednesday.

Separately, the country’s powerful military also mourned Mubarak, who is survived by his wife, Suzanne, his two sons Alaa and Gamal and four grandchildren.

The former president was transferred to intensive care at a Nile-side military hospital in Cairo’s suburb of Maadi earlier this month, according to his son Alaa, who gave no details on his father’s ailment. In a series of tweets last weekend, he asked his father’s supporters to pray for his recovery.

State television said Mubarak had recently undergone an unspecified surgery at a Cairo hospital. The operation was followed by complications which, again, the television did not specify.

Mubarak leaves behind a mixed legacy, partially because of the relatively long time he had spent at the helm of the most populous Arab nation and partially because of the momentous events that gripped the region while he was in power.

A staunch ally of the United States for most of his 29 years in power, Mubarak made himself a name as a regional icon of stability and a sworn enemy of Islamist militants. He has also been something of a zealous guardian of the peace treaty signed with Israel in 1979 by his predecessor Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated by extremists during a military parade nearly 40 years ago. Mubarak, then a vice president with a reputation for diligence, was by Sadat’s side when he was gunned down but only suffered a superficial hand wound.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Mubarak for achieving "peace with Israel". Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hailed his support for the Palestinian cause.

Mubarak forged close ties with Gulf Arab nations, particularly the UAE and its Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed.

President Sheikh Khalifa expressed his heartfelt condolences and offered solace to Mr El Sisi after Mubarak’s death.

Sheikh Khalifa ordered the UAE flag to be flown at half-staff outside government offices and diplomatic missions abroad for one day.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also sent a message of condolence to the Egyptian president.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, sent his condolences and tweeted that Mubarak worked “for unity and stability” and stood “strongly against extremism and terrorism”.

Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said: “The Arab world today lost a statesman who had taken key patriotic and historic stands.”

Mubarak, he tweeted, “was distinguished by wisdom and bravery”.

Mubarak will be remembered for the high GDP growth in Egypt during his years in office, the record number of foreign tourists and the modernisation of many aspects of life in the country.

But he was also often faulted at home for allowing his security forces to use intimidation against his people. He demanded the unflinching loyalty of those who sought senior positions in the public sector, government ministries, academia and the diplomatic service.

On his watch, the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood group also developed a far-reaching network of social, medical and educational services on which millions of people relied where government services were inadequate or non-existent.

The group swept presidential elections in 2011 and 2012.

The turmoil in which Egypt became mired in the period immediately after he was removed was deepened by his and his family’s predicament.

Mubarak faced six years of legal proceedings after his detention in April 2011.

These included a trial on charges that he was responsible for the deaths of about 800 protesters during the 18-day uprising against his rule.

His conviction and life sentence were overturned on appeal in 2014, but he, along with his two sons – wealthy businessman Alaa and one-time heir apparent Gamal – was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to three years in prison.

The two sons were released in 2015 for time served and Mubarak walked free in 2017.