TUNISIA - Mohamed Ghannouchi & The Govt.

The Prime Minister since Nov. 17, 1999, Ghannouchi is a prominent economist. Until then, he was minister for international co-operation and foreign investment, a powerful portfolio which oversees Tunisia's relations with the European Union, the IMF and World Bank and the other multilateral agencies, as well as the management of Tunis' foreign borrowings and the flow of foreign investments into the country.

The previous prime minister was Hamed Karoui, who had held the premiership since September 1989. Ghannouchi's promotion followed President Ben Ali's election in October 1999 for a third term (see Gas Market Trends), and has been active in the government for the past 14 years.

Aged 60, Ghannouchi's appointment to the premiership was welcomed by the business community and foreign bankers as he was a committed advocate of economic reforms.

Ghannouchi gave the international co-operation and foreign investment portfolio to his top aide Fethi Merdassi. Ghannouchi still has control over this ministry, particularly in matters relating to Tunis' relations with the EU and the multilateral organisations.

Ghannouchi was made int'l co-operation and foreign investment minister in the cabinet reshuffle of 1995 as he replaced Slaheddine Ben M'barek. His handling of the debt situation has earned him credit, with Tunisia having become the first Arab borrower to secure good investment grade ratings from US, European and Japanese agencies.

Ghannouchi is also credited for an increase in the flow of foreign investments to Tunisia, including Western capital being invested in the country's hydrocarbons sector and other fields of energy.