The interim leadership of Egypt transitioned to Hazem Al Beblawi on 9 July 2013, following the removal of President Mohammed Morsi from office. As an economist and politician, Beblawi entered the role after previously serving as the nation's finance minister during the turbulent period of 2011, navigating significant shifts in national governance and regional security concerns.
Academic Foundation
Born in Cairo on 17 October 1936, Beblawi pursued a legal education at Cairo University, graduating in 1957. He subsequently expanded his expertise in economics through advanced studies in France. He earned a postgraduate degree from the University of Grenoble Alpes in 1961 and completed his doctoral studies in economics at the University of Paris, known as Pantheon-Sorbonne, in 1964.
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Beblawi’s career began in 1965 as a lecturer at Alexandria University. Over the following decades, he held various high-level advisory and leadership roles. He worked as a manager at the Industrial Bank of Kuwait and served as the chairman and chief executive of the Export Development Bank in Egypt between 1983 and 1995. Later, he served as the executive secretary for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia and as an advisor to the Arab Monetary Fund.
Political Tenure
Following the 2011 revolution, Beblawi helped found the Egyptian Social Democratic Party. In July 2011, he joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister. His tenure ended in December 2011. He returned to public office in 2013 to lead the interim cabinet, a position he held until his resignation on 24 February 2014. During this period, he notably proposed the legal dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Publications and Recognition
An active writer on finance, banking, and international development, Beblawi has authored works such as 'The Rentier State' and 'The Arab Gulf Economy in a Turbulent Age'. His scholarly output includes 'al-Niẓām al-iqtiṣādī al-dawlī al-muʻāṣir: min nihāyat al-ḥarb al-ʻĀlamīyah al-thāniyah ilá nihāyat al-ḥarb al-bāridah'. His international contributions earned him the Knight of the Legion of Honour, the Commander of the Order of Leopold II, and the Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar.
Fast facts
- Born: 17 October 1936, Cairo
- Finance Minister of Egypt: 2011
- Prime Minister of Egypt: 2013-2014
- Education: Cairo University, University of Grenoble Alpes, University of Paris
- Party: Egyptian Social Democratic Party
- Religion: Islam
Questions readers ask
What academic institutions did Hazem Al Beblawi attend?
He attended Cairo University for law, the University of Grenoble Alpes, and the University of Paris for economics.
When did Beblawi serve as Egypt's interim Prime Minister?
He served from 9 July 2013 until his resignation on 24 February 2014.
