The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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George Abed Oral History Interview. December 16, 2014

George Abed Oral History Interview

Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.

December 16, 2014

Location:  Institute for International Finance, Washington, D.C.

George Abed (b. 1938), a native of Jordan, attended Oregon State from 1958-1962, graduating with a degree in General Social Science. During his undergraduate years, Abed was heavily involved with campus life and especially with student government, ultimately serving as the school's first foreign-born student body president. After completing a Ph.D. in Economics, Abed went on to a lengthy and multifaceted career in international development and public policy, including more than two decades spent working for the International Monetary Fund. The founder and former director of the Palestine Welfare Association, Abed is also a former head of the Palestine Monetary Authority, which he oversaw for two years at the invitation of Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the State of Palestine. Abed's interview focuses on his Oregon State years, his career in public policy, and his association with development efforts all across the Middle East.