Background
Mansour Moalla was born on May 1, 1930, at Sfax, on the Mediterranean coast 140 miles south-east of Tunis.
Mansour Moalla was born on May 1, 1930, at Sfax, on the Mediterranean coast 140 miles south-east of Tunis.
After good grades at school in Sfax, he pursued his academic career in Paris, graduating in Law in 1951, in Letters in 1953 and gaining his Doctorate in Law and a diploma in Political Science in 1954. He was earmarked for political advancement in July 1953 when he took on the job of secretary-general of the Paris branch of UGET and in 1955 became president of the Executive Committee.
After graduating he joined the Inspector-General’s branch of the French Finance Ministry in 1956. Following Tunisian independence he returned home from France to become technical adviser at the Ministry of Finance. He took a leading role in establishing the Central Bank of Tunisia and became its first Director-General in October 1958. He played an important part in the monetary negotiations with France in January 1959.
He left the Central Bank in March 1961 and was appointed Director-General of the Société Nationale d’investissement. Working closely with the President’s Office, he was one of the Committee of Nine which set up the African Development Bank, and in November 1964 became the Bank’s first Vice-President.
On Bourguiba’s instructions he was switched to political administration on July 26, 1961, as Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with virtual ministerial rank. On October 24, 1968, he was transferred back to the President’s Office as Director of Central Administration. His next move was to the Ministry of Communications, first as Secretary of State on September 8, 1969, and then promoted to Minister on November 7, 1966.
Eight months later he was moved to Minister of Planning and kept the post when the cabinet was reshuffled on October 29, 1971.
Central Committee. Political Bureau, Destour Socialist Party since 1971.
One of the country’s foremost authorities in finance, investment and banking. A small, intense figure with spectacles whose legal studies and fiscal training in France were brought to fruition for the benefit of Tunisia. Long-standing associate of Masmoudi he caught the eye of Bourguiba as an efficient organiser of economic programmes and was given increasing scope to apply his administrative abilities over a wide field of the economy, particularly in banking. Despite his serious responsibilities he has a bubbling sense of humour which keeps him cheerful and friendly in company.
Married Leila Skandrani in 1961.