Mohammad Al Atrash (Arabic: محمد الأطرش) (born 1934) is a Syrian economist and independent politician who served as a cabinet minister in different periods.

Mohammad Al Atrash
Mohammad Al Atrash on left
Minister of Finance
In office
13 December 2001 – 10 September 2003
PresidentBashar Assad
Prime MinisterMuhammad Mustafa Mero
Preceded byKhalid Al Mahayni
Succeeded byMohammad Al Hussein
Personal details
Born1934 (age 89–90)
Tartus
Political partyIndependent
Alma mater

Early life and education

edit

Atrash was born in Tartus in 1934.[1][2] He received a bachelor's degree from London School of Economics.[3] He also holds a PhD in economics, which he received from the University of London.[1]

Career

edit

Atrash worked as an advisor to the World Bank.[1][4] He was the director of Syria at the Bank.[5] After public offices, Atrash began to take part in cabinet positions as an independent politician.[6] From 1980 to 1984, he served as economy minister.[3] He resigned from office due to disagreements with then-prime minister Rauf Kasim.[1] He was again named as minister of finance to the cabinet headed by Muhammad Mustafa Mero on 13 December 2001.[6][7] Atrash's appointment occurred as part of the cabinet reshuffle, and he replaced Khalid Al Mahaini.[3] Atrash's term lasted until 10 September 2003 when he was replaced by Mohammad Al Hussein as finance minister.[8][9]

Views

edit

Atrash is a moderate socialist and social democrat, believing in controlling the need for change.[3][10]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Eyāl Zîser (June 2004). "Bashar al-Asad and his Regime- Between Continuity and Change". Orient. 45 (2): 239–256.
  2. ^ Eyāl Zîser (2007). Commanding Syria: Bashar Assad and the First Years in Power. I.B.Tauris. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-84511-153-3.
  3. ^ a b c d Sami Moubayed (20–26 December 2001). "Ushering in the new". Al Ahram Weekly. 565. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013.
  4. ^ Shmuel Bar (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). IPS.
  5. ^ James M. Boughton (9 October 2001). Silent Revolution: The International Monetary Fund, 1979-89 (EPub). International Monetary Fund. p. 3079. ISBN 978-1-4552-9215-8.
  6. ^ a b "Assad Launches Major Cabinet Reshuffle". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 3 (11). November 2001.
  7. ^ "Cabinet Shakeup Focuses On Economy". The New York Times. 14 December 2001. p. 8.
  8. ^ "New cabinet formed in Syria". Albawaba. 18 September 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  9. ^ "Syria's PM appoints new cabinet". BBC. 18 September 2003. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  10. ^ Raymond Hinnebusch (2011). "The Ba'th Party in Post-Ba'thist Syria: President, Party and the Struggle for 'Reform'". Middle East Critique. 20 (2): 109–125. doi:10.1080/19436149.2011.572408.