On March 28, 2005, Alexander Kuuz, an Orientalist, Arabist, and international economist, died suddenly at the age of 59. His early departure from life caused pain in the hearts of his relatives, numerous friends and colleagues who knew him as a highly learned specialist, a wonderful companion, and a charming person. Communication with him - meetings, scientific debates and conversations were remembered for a long time, were fruitful in creative terms, and invariably left a deep mark. Everyone who knew A. A. Kuuz noted his amazing modesty and benevolence, the versatility of his interests and talents: excellent knowledge of Arabic and French, English and Estonian, love of music and dance, passion for water and sea sports.

A. A. Kuuz studied at the Faculty of Economics of the Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1964-1969, where he specialized in the Department of "Economics of Foreign Countries". He studied Arabic at the Institute of Asian and African Studies. After graduating from the University, Alexander Albertovich was an employee of the Agricultural Problems Sector of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 30 years. Here he defended his PhD thesis "Agrarian relations in modern Morocco", which became a significant event in domestic research on the agricultural issue in developing countries and the world food problem. In addition, he taught at Moscow universities.

Alexander Albertovich's research interests were largely determined by the creative atmosphere of a friendly team of scientists from the Institute's sector, and to a lesser extent - by a multi-faceted approach-

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Because of his brilliant university education, they went far beyond purely agricultural issues. The most significant works of A. A. Kuuz were devoted to topical problems of economic and social development of the Maghreb countries, which were extremely interesting, somewhat mysterious and poorly studied at that time - the study of the state and evolution of various ways of life in national economies, the modernizing role of the public and private sectors in economic development, the place and significance of archaic and modern the study of ways to transform the traditional "rural hinterland" in modern Arab society, etc. These are his theoretical articles and pamphlets: "Theory and practice of agrarian transformation in Morocco", "Regional problems in Tropical Africa", "Water supply problem in Algeria", "Public Sector in Africa", etc.

As a country expert and international political scientist, he studied inter-Maghreb relations, the problems of the Mediterranean in their connection with the countries of North Africa, the origins and causes of the conflict over Western Sahara, and possible solutions to it by political means with great interest and fruitfulness.

Over the years of his scientific activity, A. A. Kuuz has published over 100 scientific works, including a number of monographs and about 20 pamphlets. Thanks to his hard work, for the first time in Russian Oriental studies, many issues of the postcolonial history of the economic development of Morocco and other countries of the North African region, interfaith relations in the southern Mediterranean and Tropical Africa, integration processes in the Middle East and Africa, etc. were covered.

A. A. Kuuz's broad outlook and erudition were largely formed due to his direct acquaintance with the problems under study during numerous trips - he visited Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Kuwait, Ethiopia and Rwanda, Cuba and Austria.

For a long time, A. A. Kuuz worked in the diplomatic missions of our country in Algeria and Mauritania, and he did a lot to strengthen and develop scientific and cultural ties between Russia and the Arab countries. In 1998, he received the diplomatic rank of Second Secretary of the Second class. He was thanked for his fruitful work at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

A. A. Kuuz devoted a significant part of his life to scientific and teaching activities, training specialists in the field of world economy and regional studies. In recent years, he has paid special attention to this important and, most importantly, his favorite work, which students and postgraduates of the Moscow State University of Service, of which Alexander Albertovich has been a professor since 2000, spoke with gratitude and warmth. His great efficiency, extraordinary approach to the educational process, selfless service to duty, creative pedagogical activity, self-sacrifice in solving urgent difficult problems are connected with the organization of the Department of "World Economy", the duties of the head of which he performed recently. This and many other things related to his work at the university earned him the love and respect of all those who collaborated with him.

For a long time A. A. Kuuz was the president of the Moscow Society of Estonian Culture. And here they spoke with warmth and gratitude about his selfless service to his fellow countrymen.

In the last days of his life, he actively participated and supervised the preparation of several scientific and practical conferences devoted to various problems of the world economy, humanitarian international relations, and the organization of international services.

The bright memory of Alexander Kuuz , a wonderful person, scientist and teacher, will always remain in our hearts.

COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS

MAIN SCIENTIFIC WORKS OF A. A. KUUZ*

Theory and practice of agrarian transformation in Morocco// Aktual'nye problemy Afrika [Actual Problems of Africa], Moscow, 1977.

The problem of Western Sahara// asia and Africa today. 1978. N7. pp. 41-42.

Social and economic structure of the Moroccan village / / XXV Congress of the CPSU and problems of the national liberation movement in Africa. Moscow, 1979. pp. 83-93.

* Comp. by A. A. Tkachenko.

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Penetration of American capital in Morocco / / Peoples of Asia and Africa. 1980. N 3. pp. 105-114.

Results of agrarian transformations of the Government of Morocco (1956-1980). Moscow, 1982. 118 p.

State property: the shape and character evolution // African village: yesterday and today. M. 1987. Pp. 146 - 167.

Public sector in agriculture in Africa, Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1991, 116 p. (in Russian).

State and cooperative sector / / Growth or stagnation? Economics of Africa yesterday and Today, Moscow, 1991, pp. 233-270 (sovm. with others).

Problems of the existence of Muslim communities in the Baltic States. Tallinn. 1993. N 3.

The role of non-economic factors in the development of the global economy // Eighth International Scientific and Practical Conference of Moscow State University, Moscow, 2003.

Short Russian-Arabic technical dictionary. Tabqa (Syrian Arab Republic). 1973. 195 p.

On the social orientation of the Moroccan Government's agricultural policy //

The issues of socio-economic development of the countries of the Middle East. M., 1979.

Western Sahara: ethnopolitical situation // Rasy i narody [Races and Peoples], Moscow, 1980, No. 10, pp. 173-183.

Agrarian transformations in Morocco / / Agrarian transformations in the countries of Africa at the present stage. Moscow, 1982. pp. 89-103.

Agrarian relations in Morocco, Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1984, 128 p.

Problemy formirovaniya i razvitiya gosudarstvennogo sektora v agrosfere stran Afrika [Problems of formation and development of the public sector in the agrosphere of African countries].

Environmental crisis in Africa // Ecology, Moscow, 1990, No. 6.

Kontseptsiya razvitiya APK v afrikanskikh usloviyakh [The concept of development of the agro-industrial complex in African conditions].

The problem of choosing the optimal technology in developing countries / / Africa: yesterday, today, tomorrow. Moscow, 1994.

Problemy i perspektivy razvitiya SMP v ANDR [Problems and prospects of SME development in the ANDR]. Sbornik nauchnykh trudov, Moscow: Institute of Africa, 2003.

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