Chedly Ayari
Chedly Ayari | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 August 1933 Tunis, Tunisia |
| Died | 28 January 2021 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, diplomat, politician |
| Known for | President of the Central Bank of Tunisia (2012–2018) |
Chedly Ayari () (8 August 1933 – 28 January 2021) was a distinguished Tunisian economist, diplomat, and politician. Throughout his career, he occupied numerous ministerial positions under President Habib Bourguiba and led the Central Bank of Tunisia as its President from 24 July 2012 until 16 February 2018.
Early life and education
Ayari was born in Tunis and completed his secondary education at Sadiki College. He then pursued higher studies at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences affiliated with Paris-Sorbonne University, where he earned a doctorate in economics in 1961 alongside a master's degree in private law.
Career
Beginning his professional journey at the Société Tunisienne de Banque, Ayari later joined Tunis University as an assistant professor. He achieved an agrégation in economics from the University of Paris and held teaching positions at Tunis University, the Faculté de droit et des sciences économiques et de gestion de Tunis, Aix-Marseille University, and the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis. In recognition of his academic contributions, Aix-Marseille University awarded him an honorary doctorate, and he held the title of Honorary President of the .
His scholarly work concentrated on areas such as international financial relations, macroeconomic strategies, and human development. Ayari was actively involved with organizations including the Economic Research Forum based in Cairo, served as vice-president of Tunisia’s National Advisory Council for Scientific Research and Technology, and was Director General of the from 1967 to 1969. He played a significant role within Tunisia’s scientific institutions through participation in various councils and was honored as an honorary member of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts. His extensive publications covered economic, financial, monetary, social, and political subjects in multiple languages: French, Arabic, English, and German.
Engaged politically within the Tunisian national movement, Ayari took part in the and was active on both the political office and central committee of the Socialist Destourian Party until 1975. Under President Bourguiba’s administration, he assumed several ministerial responsibilities: Minister of Equipment, Housing and Spatial Planning (1969–1970; 1974–1975), Minister of Youth and Sports (1970), Minister of Education (1970–1971), and Minister of Finance (1972–1974). In 2010, he was appointed to serve in the Chamber of Advisors.
Ayari’s diplomatic career encompassed roles such as economic advisor to Tunisia’s delegation at the United Nations (1960–1964), Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Commission (1972), Chairman of the UN Commission for Industrial Development (1962), Chairman of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (1963–1964), Executive Director at the World Bank (1964–1965), and membership on the advisory board for the African Development Bank.
On 24 July 2012, Ayari was named president of the Central Bank of Tunisia, taking over from Mustapha Kamel Nabli. His confirmation by the Constituent Assembly sparked controversy due to his associations with former leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. During his tenure as Central Bank president, he prioritized economic stabilization and banking sector reforms. His leadership earned him accolades including the Tatweej Award for Excellence and Quality within the Arab region in 2014 and a B rating from Global Finance magazine’s Central Banker Report Cards in 2017. On 14 February 2018, Ayari publicly attributed Tunisia’s inclusion on the European Parliament’s blacklist to political reasons. He resigned from his position that same day; his successor officially took office on 19 February 2018.
Personal life
Born to Sadok and Fatouma Ayari, he entered into marriage with Élaine Vatteau in 1959. The couple made their home in Gammarth, where they welcomed three children. He passed away at the age of 87 due to COVID-19 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia.
Honours
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Tunisian Independence
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Tunisian Republic
- Grand Officer rank in the Ordre du 7-Novembre
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
Publications
- Analyse de la structure économique : les fonctions de structure économique (1968)
- La coopération inter-universitaire dans la promotion du développement (1969)
- Mécanismes et institutions de la coopération arabo-africaine : le rôle de la BADEA (1975)
- De nouvelles perspectives pour la coopération arabo-africaine (1981)
- Arab-African co-operation: facing the challenge of the '80s (1985)
- Ten Years of Afro-Arab Cooperation, 1975-1984 (1985)
- La Guerre du Golfe et l'avenir des Arabes : débat et réflexions (1991)
- Enjeux méditerranéens : pour une coopération euro-arabe (1992)
- La Méditerranée économique. Premier rapport général sur la situation des riverains au début des années 1990 (1992)
- Mélanges en l'honneur de Habib Ayadi (2000)
- La souveraineté nationale face à la mondialisation : conflit non résolu (2002)
- Le système de développement tunisien : vue rétrospective. Les années 1962-1986. Analyse institutionnelle (2003)
- Variables internationales et nouveaux rôles régionaux (2005)
- Carnet de route d’un artisan de la Tunisie du XXe siècle (2023)