Mohammad Al Atrash Explained

Mohammad Al Atrash
Office:Minister of Finance
Primeminister:Muhammad Mustafa Mero
President:Bashar Assad
Term Start:13 December 2001
Term End:10 September 2003
Predecessor:Khalid Al Mahayni
Successor:Mohammad Al Hussein
Birth Place:Tartus
Party:Independent

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

Early life and education

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

Career

Atrash worked as an advisor to the World Bank.[1] [3] He was the director of Syria at the Bank.[4] After public offices, Atrash began to take part in cabinet positions as an independent politician. From 1980 to 1984, he served as economy minister. 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.[5] [6] Atrash's appointment occurred as part of the cabinet reshuffle, and he replaced Khalid Al Mahaini.[7] Atrash's term lasted until 10 September 2003 when he was replaced by Mohammad Al Hussein as finance minister.[8] [9]

Views

Atrash is a moderate socialist and social democrat, believing in controlling the need for change.[7] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Eyāl Zîser. Bashar al-Asad and his Regime- Between Continuity and Change. Orient. June 2004. 45. 2. 239–256.
  2. Book: Eyāl Zîser. Commanding Syria: Bashar Assad and the First Years in Power. 2007. I.B.Tauris. 978-1-84511-153-3. 67.
  3. Shmuel Bar. Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview. IPS. 2006.
  4. Book: James M. Boughton. Silent Revolution: The International Monetary Fund, 1979-89 (EPub). 9 October 2001. International Monetary Fund. 978-1-4552-9215-8. 3079.
  5. Assad Launches Major Cabinet Reshuffle. Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. November 2001. 3. 11.
  6. News: Cabinet Shakeup Focuses On Economy. The New York Times. 8. 14 December 2001.
  7. Sami Moubayed. Ushering in the new. Al Ahram Weekly. 20–26 December 2001. 565. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130324155957/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/565/re6.htm. 24 March 2013. dmy-all.
  8. News: New cabinet formed in Syria. 24 February 2013. Albawaba. 18 September 2003.
  9. News: Syria's PM appoints new cabinet. 24 February 2013. BBC. 18 September 2003.
  10. Raymond Hinnebusch. The Ba'th Party in Post-Ba'thist Syria: President, Party and the Struggle for 'Reform'. Middle East Critique. 2011. 20. 2. 109–125. 10.1080/19436149.2011.572408.