11 Facts About Youssef Wahba

Youssef Wahba Pasha GCMG was an Egyptian Prime Minister and jurist.

Youssef Wahba was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1852 of a prominent Coptic family.

Youssef Wahba translated the Code Napoleon into Arabic while at the Ministry of Justice between 1875 and 1882 and participated in setting the modern judicial system in Egypt.

Youssef Wahba became one of the first Egyptian judges in the Mixed Court of Appeals in 1894.

Youssef Wahba served as the minister of finance from 15 April 1914 to 21 May 1920.

Youssef Wahba became Prime Minister of Egypt in 1919 during a difficult period in Egypt's political life.

Youssef Wahba joined the first independent Senate when he was elected from a district in Alexandria in 1924.

Youssef Wahba resisted the introduction of any special privileges for minorities in Egypt whether based on ethnicity or religion first suggested by the Brunyate Commission for Judicial reform in 1917.

Youssef Wahba drafted the constitution of the Majllis Milli, the first Coptic Christian council to manage the affairs of the Coptic community in Egypt in 1882 outside of the control of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Youssef Wahba died in 1934 and was married to Doudou, daughter of Mikhail Bey El Nakkadi and had eight children.

Youssef Wahba's grandson, Sadek Wahba, is a notable New York City-based managing partner of a private equity firm I Squared Capital and member of the board of trustees of the American University in Cairo.