▁A ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Tu are g ▁eth nic ▁group , ▁Alg ab id ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁settlement ▁of ▁Bel bed ji , ▁near ▁Tan out ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁He ▁studied ▁law ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ab id jan ▁and ▁later ▁at ▁the ▁II AP ▁in ▁Paris , ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁Law ▁degree . ▁He ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁head ▁of ▁department ▁under ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁External ▁Fin ance ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁military ▁government ▁Following ▁the ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁led ▁by ▁General ▁Se yn i ▁K ount ché , ▁Alg ab id ▁remained ▁in ▁his ▁post ▁as ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁also ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁country ▁administrator ▁of ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Community ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁States ▁( E CO W AS ) ▁Central ▁Bank ▁( 1 9 7 5 – 7 6 ) ▁and ▁then ▁country ▁administrator ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Development ▁Bank ▁( 1 9 7 6 – 7 9 ). ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁government ▁as ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁Co operation . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁post ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the