TUNISIA - The Non-OPEC Countries - Part 4.

The decision-making system for the energy sector in Tunisia is quite simple. The Ministry of Industry controls the energy sector, which includes hydrocarbon resources, and the country's mineral resources. There are laws for this sector under which technocrats in charge function efficiently.

In each of the state companies under the Industry Ministry, power is held by the chief executive officer (CEO), following the French system. But beyond their specific area of work, these CEOs have little or no influence over the sector as a whole. Tunisia's bureaucracy is highly educated.

The key decisions concerning this sector are taken collectively by the council of ministers, where the weight is political and the balance of power is held overwhelmingly by the President of the Republic, Zine Al Abdine Ben Ali, and his aides. The technocrats in Tunisia are controlled by the political leadership, under Ben Ali, who is well aware of the importance of an efficiently functioning decision making system.

The Energy Department at the Ministry of Industry is in charge of the hydrocarbon sector as well as the domestic oil and gas market and the related state companies. The General Energy Management division at the Industry Ministry supervises the sector's state companies. It has three bodies: the Committee for E&P of Hydrocarbons, the Committee for Refining and Oil Products Distribution, and the Committee for Electricity, Gas and Energy Management.

Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali: President of the Republic since he ousted Habib Bourguiba in November 1987, Ben Ali is a strong-minded character. He lacks charisma but makes up for this in intelligence and by being a hard worker with a sense of personal discipline. Since 1987, he has steered the country on a path of sustained economic growth. Ben Ali is well informed about developments in the Tunisian hydrocarbon sector, but he does not get involved in day-to-day decision-making or try to micromanage the country's energy sector. But he keeps a close eye to ensure that things keep running smoothly.

Ben Ali has not kept promises of democratisation which he made when he took over, and he is not likely to move in that direction so long as the Tunisian economy is on a relatively healthy growth path and the US war on terrorism continues. Neither Europe nor the US wants to see the destabilisation of Tunisia through an upsurge of Islamist militancy. On Oct. 24, 1999 Ben Ali got "99.44%" of the vote in Tunisia's first contested presidential election since the country gained independence in 1956. He thus secured a third term to late 2004.

Under the current constitution, the president is elected every five years for a maximum of three consecutive terms. Ben Ali wants to amend the constitution, saying this is necessary for him to be able to introduce political reforms. But the opposition says he wants the change to make sure he will run again in 2004 and get re-elected. It is officially stated that the two basic tenets of Ben Ali's policies are the promotion of democratic pluralism (which he has not allowed) and implementation of economic reform, which he has carried forward with a strong focus.

Ben Ali has concentrated political decision-making in his hands, with the presidency having become all-powerful. He has been criticised in Europe for being autocratic and the regime has been blasted in the Western media for human rights violations. His supporters stress the country's security needs and point out that he has merely postponed political reform until Tunisia was ready for it - in other words when the phenomenon of Islamic militancy has been eliminated in Tunisia and in neighbouring countries, which may take a long time. The government is very tough with any kind of opposition, whether secular or Islamic.

Ben Ali values social stability most. On the other hand, he does not show his predecessor Bourguiba's oppressive zeal for Western-style secularisation at any cost. That zeal was largely responsible for the emergence of radical Islamic groups in Tunisia, which is by nature a tolerant and liberal society. When he was minister of interior, Ben Ali had dealt closely with all the militant groups as well as their leaders.

Born on Sept. 3, 1936, at Hammam-Sousse, a small town on the Mediterranean coast, Ben Ali did his secondary studies at Sousse. He took part in the struggle against French rule, liaising between the armed resistance and the regional structure of the Neo-Destour Party. Later he studied at the prestigious Special Inter-Arms School at Saint Cyr in France. Ben Ali was among the first student officers sponsored by the Destour Party to form the nucleus of the nascent Tunisian National Army. He earned several diplomas: from the Artillery School at Chalons-Sur-Marne, in France; from the Senior Intelligence School at Fort Holabird, Maryland; and from the School for Field and Anti-Aircraft at Fort Bliss, Texas. He also received a diploma in electronic engineering.

In 1964, as a young general-staff officer, Ben Ali set up a military security department at the defence ministry. In 1974, he was made defence attache in Morocco and Spain. In December 1977, at a time of labour riots, he was named director general of national security. He held the rank of general from April 1979. In May 1980, Ben Ali became ambassador to Warsaw, where he remained until Jan. 30, 1984. After major riots in Tunisia and the ouster of Interior Minister Driss Guiga, he returned and once again took up the post of director-general of national security. After that, his rise was rapid. On Oct. 29, 1984, he was named secretary of state for national security. On Oct. 23, 1985 he became minister for national security. On April 28, 1986, he was made minister of interior, and then that title was raised to "Senior Minister in Charge of the Interior" on May 16, 1987.

On Oct. 2, 1987, Ben Ali became prime minister, replacing Rashid Sfar, and retained his post as interior minister. As premier he automatically became secretary general of the ruling Parti Socialiste Destourien (PSD), which was renamed Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique (RCD) in 1988. On Nov. 7, 1987 he invoked Article 57 of the constitution and acceded to the presidency after Bourguiba was declared by his physicians to be unfit to carry out his duties.