YEMEN - Profile - Mohammed Said Al Attar.

A presidential advisor, as well as being a prominent and cultured economist, Dr. Attar until May 1997 was a deputy premier and minister of petroleum and industry. He has been a key member of GPC's Central Committee, having long served in the Sanaa government. From May to October 1994 he was prime minister. He has Saleh's ear on all matters of importance. He had been put in charge of the oil ministry because of many problems in this sector. His two main tasks were to improve Yemen's image after the departure of several important oil companies and to restructure the ministry.

Before joining the cabinet in November 1985 as deputy PM, Dr. Attar was UN assistant secretary-general at the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). As such, his role was of special importance to Sanaa's quest for concessionary loans, grants and various other forms of aid to fund Yemeni development projects. From a Shafei Sunni clan, Attar was born in Djibouti on Nov. 26, 1927. His education: Institut d'Etudes du Developpement Economique et Sociale, University of Paris, Sorbonne, 1958-60; and doctorate in economics, University of Paris.