Hassan Belkhodja

Hassan Belkhodja

Hassan (hating) Belkhodja ( Arabic حسان بلخوجة, DMG Ḥassān Bilḫauǧa ; * March 10, 1916 in Ras Jebel , Bizerta governorate ; † November 29, 1981 ) was a Tunisian diplomat and politician of the Socialist Destur Party .

Life

Belkhodja graduated after attending the Lycée Carnot de Tunis studying law at the University of Paris , where he graduated 1950th During his studies he was involved in the youth movement of the Neo-Destur party founded by Habib Bourguiba in 1934 and as president of the Association of North African Students in France. After his return he entered the diplomatic service and was first ambassador to France between 1954 and 1957 and then from 1957 to 1959 ambassador to Spain . On June 1, 1959, he became managing director of the newly founded agricultural bank BNA (Banque nationale agricole) and was also director general of the National Real Estate Company (Société nationale immobilière de Tunisie) and co-founder of the Society of the Dairy Industry (Société tunisienne de l'industrie laitière) and of Nestlé Tunisie .

In the mid-1960s, Belkhodja began his political commitment when he became a member of the Politburo of the Socialist Destur Party, which emerged from the Neo-Destur Party . On September 8, 1969, he took over the office of Minister of Economics and held this office until the end of Prime Minister Bahi Ladgham's term on November 2, 1970. On March 19, 1971, he replaced Abdelaziz Mathari as managing director of the Tunisian Bank Corporation STB (Société tunisienne de banque) and remained in this position until he was replaced by Habib Ghenim on October 4, 1974. He was also involved from 1971 until his He died in 1981 as president of the Espérance sportive de Tunis football club .

On September 25, 1974, Belkhodja succeeded Dhaoui Hannablia as Minister of Agriculture in the government of Prime Minister Hédi Nouira and held this post until a government reshuffle on November 7, 1979, whereupon Lassaad Ben Osman was his successor. He himself succeeded Abdelhamid Sassi as Minister of Transport and Telecommunications on November 7, 1979 when the new cabinet was formed and held this post until his replacement by Sadok Ben Jemâa on April 15. He then replaced Mohamed Fitouri as Foreign Minister and held this position for a year in the government of Prime Minister Mohamed Mzali until he was replaced by Beji Caid Essebsi on April 15, 1981. After leaving the government, from April 22nd until his death on November 29th, 1981, he again acted as managing director of the Tunisian banking company STB.

Belkhodja was the father of four children, including the writer Abdelaziz Belkhodja .

Web links

• Entry in rulers.org
• Tunisia: Foreign Ministers