Mohammad al-Atrash
{{Short description|Syrian politician (born 1934)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Mohammad al-Atrash
|birthname =
|image = File:Mansur Al-Atrash.jpg
|caption = Mohammad al-Atrash on left
|order =
|office = Minister of Finance
|primeminister = Muhammad Mustafa Mero
|president = Bashar al-Assad
|term_start = 13 December 2001
|term_end = 10 September 2003
|predecessor = Khalid Al Mahayni
|successor = Mohammad Al Hussein
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1934}}
|birth_place = Tartus
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse =
|children =
|party = Independent
|otherparty =
|alma_mater = {{ubl|London School of Economics |University of London}}
|footnotes = }}
Mohammad al-Atrash ({{langx|ar|محمد الأطرش}}) (born 1934) is a Syrian economist and independent politician who served as a cabinet minister in different periods.
Early life and education
Al-Atrash was born in Tartus in 1934.{{cite journal|author=Eyāl Zîser|title=Bashar al-Asad and his Regime- Between Continuity and Change|journal=Orient|date=June 2004|volume=45|issue=2|pages=239–256|url=http://www.ou.edu/mideast/Additional%20pages%20-%20non-catagory/Zisser_al-Asad_and_his_Regime_2004.htm}}{{cite book|author=Eyāl Zîser|title=Commanding Syria: Bashar Assad and the First Years in Power|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pVovmiI-ijQC&pg=PA67|year=2007|publisher=I.B.Tauris|isbn=978-1-84511-153-3|page=67}} 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.
Career
Al-Atrash worked as an advisor to the World Bank.{{cite journal|author=Shmuel Bar|title=Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview|journal=IPS|year=2006|url=http://www.herzliyaconference.org/_Uploads/2590Bashars.pdf}} He was the director of Syria at the Bank.{{cite book|author=James M. Boughton|title=Silent Revolution: The International Monetary Fund, 1979-89 (EPub)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dY8Wm4-8yGYC&pg=PT3079|date=9 October 2001|publisher=International Monetary Fund|isbn=978-1-4552-9215-8|page=3079}} After public offices, al-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. He was again named as minister of finance to the cabinet headed by Muhammad Mustafa Mero on 13 December 2001.{{cite journal|title=Assad Launches Major Cabinet Reshuffle|journal=Middle East Intelligence Bulletin|date=November 2001|volume=3|issue=11|url=http://www.meforum.org/meib/articles/0112_sb.htm}}{{cite news|title=Cabinet Shakeup Focuses On Economy|newspaper=The New York Times|page=8|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/14/world/world-briefing-middle-east-syria-cabinet-shakeup-focuses-on-economy.html|date=14 December 2001}} Al-Atrash's appointment occurred as part of the cabinet reshuffle, and he replaced Khalid Al Mahaini.{{cite journal|author=Sami Moubayed|title=Ushering in the new|journal=Al Ahram Weekly|date=20–26 December 2001|volume=565|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/565/re6.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130324155957/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/565/re6.htm|archivedate=24 March 2013|df=dmy-all}} Al-Atrash's term lasted until 10 September 2003 when he was replaced by Mohammad Al Hussein as finance minister.{{cite news|title=New cabinet formed in Syria|url=http://www.albawaba.com/news/new-cabinet-formed-syria|accessdate=24 February 2013|work=Albawaba|date=18 September 2003}}{{cite news|title=Syria's PM appoints new cabinet|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3120184.stm|accessdate=24 February 2013|work=BBC|date=18 September 2003}}
=Views=
Al-Atrash is a moderate socialist and social democrat, believing in controlling the need for change.{{cite journal|author=Raymond Hinnebusch|title=The Ba'th Party in Post-Ba'thist Syria: President, Party and the Struggle for 'Reform'|journal=Middle East Critique|year=2011|volume=20|issue=2|pages=109–125|doi=10.1080/19436149.2011.572408}}
References
{{Reflist|33em}}
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Category:20th-century Syrian economists
Category:21st-century Syrian economists
Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics
Category:Alumni of the University of London