A Conversation with Dr. Salam Fayyad – Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority

On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the Strauss-Clements Intelligence Studies Project, Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and Clements Center for National Security, in partnership with UT-Austin’s Economics Department and Center for Middle Eastern Studies hosted Dr. Salam Fayyad, former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority and University of Texas at Austin alumnus, for a conversation with ISP Director Steve Slick on Middle East security. For event photographs, click HERE.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Salam Fayyad served as the Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority from 2007 to 2013. During his tenure, he introduced and oversaw extensive plans for state building through institutional reform and the modernization of public and security services.

Fayyad previously served as Minister of Finance for the Palestinian National Authority from 2002 until 2005, and again from March 2007 until his appointment as prime minister. He served on several cabinets during his tenure as finance minister, during which time he introduced a series of extensive financial reforms. In 2006, he ran in the Palestinian legislative elections and was elected for the Palestinian Legislative Council where he served as chairman of the Finance Committee.

Fayyad began his career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C. in 1987, where he held several positions, including assistant to the executive director, advisor to the executive director, and resident representative. From 1996 until 2001, he was the Jerusalem-based IMF senior resident representative to Palestine.

Fayyad was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas at Austin in 2010. He was appointed chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for the MENA region in 2014 and was named a Distinguished Statesman at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council as well as a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Fayyad holds a Bachelor of Science from the American University of Beirut, a Master of Business Administration from St. Edward’s University, and a doctorate in economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Currently, Fayyad is a Visiting Senior Scholar and Lecturer in Public Policy and Daniella Lipper Coules ’95 Distinguished Visitor in Foreign Affairs at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs. He is also a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution.