Pedro Solbes Mira (31 August 1942 – 18 March 2023) was a Spanish economist. He was the president of FRIDE, Madrid-based think tank.{{cite web|title=Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior - FRIDE|url=http://www.euromesco.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=5&id=1395&Itemid=39&lang=en|work=EuroMesco|accessdate=17 September 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002423/http://www.euromesco.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=5&id=1395&Itemid=39&lang=en|archivedate=4 March 2016}}

Life and career

Solbes was born in Pinoso on 31 August 1942.{{cite web|title=Who's who in the Spanish Cabinet.|url=http://www.spainview.com/cabinet.html|publisher=Spain View|accessdate=11 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429201103/http://www.spainview.com/cabinet.html|archive-date=29 April 2013|url-status=dead}}

While independent in the sense of not being affiliated to any party, his various ministerial roles in Spain were always within Socialist Workers' Party cabinets.

From 1985 to 1991, he was third 3rd secretary of state for the European Communities. He was agriculture and fisheries minister (1991–1993) and finance minister (1993–1996) in Felipe González's cabinets, also MP representing Alicante for the same party until 1999.

Appointed by Spanish premier José María Aznar (of the main competing party, the People's Party), Solbes was a European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs in the European Commission presided over by Romano Prodi (the Prodi Commission).{{cite news|title=Spanish cabinet - key players|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3649839.stm|accessdate=19 October 2013|publisher=BBC|date=22 April 2004}}

Then Solbes served as second vice president and minister of economy and finance in the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which he held from 2004 to 2009.{{cite news|title=Whose head will roll?|url=http://www.economist.com/node/2886445|accessdate=15 January 2014|newspaper=The Economist|date=1 July 2004|location=Madrid}}

Solbes died from cancer on 18 March 2023, at the age of 80.{{cite news |title=Muere Pedro Solbes, hombre clave en la integración de España en Europa |url=https://elpais.com/economia/2023-03-18/muere-pedro-solbes-exvicepresidente-del-gobierno-con-zapatero-a-los-80-anos.html |access-date=19 March 2023 |work=El País |date=18 March 2023}}

Other activities

African Development Bank (AfDB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)[https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/afdb_group_annual_report_2006.pdf 2006 Annual Report] African Development Bank (AfDB).
Asian Development Bank (ADB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)[https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/31326/adb-annual-report-2005.pdf 2005 Annual Report] Asian Development Bank (ADB).
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004-2009)[https://www.200.com/downloads/research/annual/ar05a.pdf 2005 Annual Report]{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
European Investment Bank (EIB), ex-officio member of the Board of Governors (2004–2009)[https://www.eib.org/attachments/general/reports/fr2006en.pdf 2006 Annual Report] European Investment Bank (EIB).

Decorations

60px Collar of the Order of Civil Merit (24 April 2009){{cite web|url=http://www.boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2009-6951|publisher=BOE|title=Royal Decree 776/2009, of April 24, by which the Collar of the Order of Civil Merit is awarded to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira.|date=25 April 2009|access-date=18 March 2023}}
60px Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (10 May 1996){{cite web|url=http://www.boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1996-10662|publisher=BOE|title=Royal Decree 1159/2004, 999/1996, of May 10, by which the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III is granted to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira.|date=11 May 1996|access-date=18 March 2023}}
60px Commander by Number of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (30 May 1985){{cite web|url=http://www.boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1985-10063|publisher=BOE|title=Order of May 30, 1985, by which the Order of Isabella the Catholic is granted the Commander by Number to Mr. Pedro Solbes Mira, General Technical Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.|date=1 June 1985|access-date=18 March 2023}}

References

External links

[http://www.el-mundo.es/documentos/2004/04/espana/nuevogobierno/pedrosolbes.html El Mundo information on Pedro Solbes]
[http://www.elsemanaldigital.com/articulos.asp?idarticulo=80850 Solbes ordered to sell almost half of the gold reserves from the Spanish central bank. One year later, the gold once was at 1,000 $] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514100839/http://www.elsemanaldigital.com/articulos.asp?idarticulo=80850 |date=14 May 2010 }}