By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Friday announced the death of Mohamed Chatah, a former adviser to the Fund.

William Murray, Deputy IMF Spokesman in a Statement made available to InvestAdvocate said the IMF Management and staff are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Mohamed Chatah in Beirut.

According to Murray, Chatah was widely respected among colleagues in the Executive Board and among staff, and highly appreciated for his intellect, collegiality, and kind nature. ‘’He will be missed.” Murray said.

Chatah a former Lebanese finance minister and ambassador to Washington was killed Friday morning in a powerful car bomb explosion in central Beirut believed to be  the first political assassination in Lebanon for over a year.

Reports affirmed that Chatah and his bodyguard died instantly, when a car bomb, estimated at around 110 pounds of explosive, detonated as his vehicle passed by.

Chatah worked at the Fund at various times and in different functions, including from 1983 to 1993 as Assistant and then Advisor to the Executive Director and from 2001 to 2002 as Alternate Executive Director, before joining staff as Advisor in the External Relations Department until late 2005.