Abdo Hussameddin (born 1954) is a Syrian politician and former government minister. He was aide to the oil minister from August 2009 to 7 March 2012, when he became the highest-ranking government minister to defect to the opposition from Bashar al-Assad's government.
Life
After studying petroleum engineering at university, Abdo Hussameddin worked as a drilling engineer for the state-owned Syrian Oil Company. Rising through the oil and gas industry in Syria, he was appointed general manager of the State Establishment for Oil Refining in March 2009.[1] He was appointed aide to the Oil Minister in Syria in August 2009.[2] On 7 March 2012 he resigned his ministerial post to join the opposition to Bashar al-Assad's government, announcing his decision in a video posted on YouTube:[3]
I, Abdo Hussameddin, deputy oil and mineral wealth minister in Syria, announce my defection from the regime, resignation from my position and withdrawal from the Ba'ath Party. I am joining the revolution of the people who reject injustice and the brutal campaign of the regime.[4]
Abdo Hussameddin is married with four children.[4]