Jordan Times
Monday, July 4, 2005
King swears in new ministers
Royal Decree summons Parliament for extraordinary session on July 14
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — Seeking a parliamentary vote of confidence, Prime Minister Adnan Badran reshuffled his two-month-old government on Sunday with eight new ministers sworn in before His Majesty King Abdullah.
The reshuffle, which some observers described as “not attractive” and made to resolve the impasse with a near majority of deputies, also saw the appointment of two incumbent ministers to new posts. Newcomers to the now 28-member Cabinet include former foreign minister Marwan Muasher as deputy prime minister.
Muasher, who served as Royal Court minister since April, held the post of deputy prime minister and minister of state for prime ministry affairs and government performance in the former Cabinet of Faisal Fayez. It was not confirmed Sunday if he would also act as government spokesperson considering that his primary task is to help speed up reform and defend its related programmes, sources said.
Former Minister of Culture Asma Khader, who also served as government spokesperson, was among the five ministers who resigned Sunday.
The new lineup includes Adel Kodah as finance minister, replacing Bassem Awadallah, who resigned last month following heavy parliamentary criticism.
A group of 53 deputies protested the makeup of the Badran government, especially its economic team led by Awadallah, and threatened a no-confidence vote.
A Royal Decree on Sunday summoned Parliament to convene for an extraordinary session on July 14 to discuss the government's policy statement and hold a vote of confidence.
Kodah, a former minister of supply between 1994-1996, headed the Privatisation Commission until he was appointed minister.
Former Amman governor Abdul Karim Malahmeh was also brought in as minister of parliamentary affairs, a position previously held by Hisham Tal, who retained his post as deputy prime minister for political development.
Former minister of state for legal affairs Abed Shakhanbeh was appointed as minister of justice, replacing Mohammed Alawneh. Shakhanbeh was minister of state for legal affairs since April 2005 and in 2001.
Rowaida Maaitah, a former minister of social development, is to be responsible for the Ministry of Government Performance, replacing Salah Bashir. Amin Mahmoud was appointed as minister of culture, a post he held in the government of Abdul Salam Majali. Munther Shara, previously minister of political development, holds now the water and irrigation portfolio, replacing Raed Abu Saud. Also, Mohammad Odeh Njadat, a former minister of state in Abdul Karim Kabariti's government until 1997, took up the same post in this reshuffle.
Muzahim Muhaisin, a former minister of labour and public works, was sworn in as minister of agriculture, replacing Yousef Shreiqi.
Seven of the eight newcomers were former ministers in previous governments. Malahmeh is serving as minister for the first time.
Observers and politicians believe the new lineup serves as an “icebreaker” in ties with deputies by avoiding the inclusion of controversial figures and instead going for the “safe bets.” They see the replacements as helping correct the geographical omission by including ministers representing the south and northern regions.
“I believe that deputies would calm down,” said columnist Jamil Nimri. “But I don't think that the reshuffle was based on the qualifications of those brought in or on the belief that they could carry out the task ahead.”
Deputy Mamdouh Abbadi agreed, saying Badran based his choice on the fact the newcomers had all been ministers before and therefore would be accepted by the public.
Abbadi, who noted that Badran did not consult the MPs over the list of ministers while carrying out his discussion with parliamentary blocs during the past days, said the new government carried “no meaningful content or spirit, losing its image as a reformist Cabinet.”
Hani Horani, director of Al Urdun Al Jadeed Research Centre, said the new formation “lacks cohesion or makeup of a reformist body.”
Horani and other observers described the newcomers as “traditional figures,” who would not be able to push forth with the desired reform.
Nimri described Badran's Cabinet as “transitional,” saying that it would last until the September announcement of the National Agenda, which is expected to set the pace for socio-economic and political reform over the next ten years.
Abbadi expected the same.
Following is a list of Prime Minister Adnan Badran's Cabinet members after Sunday's reshuffle:
• Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Adnan Badran
• Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher
• Deputy Prime Minister for Political Development Hisham Tal
• Minister of Social Development Abdullah Oweidat
• Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Salam Abbadi
• Minister of Culture Amin Mahmoud
• Minister of Finance Adel Kodah
• Minister of Municipal Affairs Tawfiq Kreishan
• Minister of State Mohammad Odeh Njadat
• Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khalid Touqan
• Minister of Justice Abed Shakhanbeh
• Minister of Agriculture Muzahim Muhaisin
• Minister of Government Performance Rowaida Maaitah
• Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Alia Hattough-Bouran
• Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Azmi Khreisat
• Minister of Health Saeed Darwazeh
• Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nadia Saeed
• Minister of Transport Saud Nseirat
• Minister of Water and Irrigation Munther Shara
• Minister of State for Public Sector Reform Tayseer Smadi
• Minister of Interior Awni Yarvas
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Farouq Qasrawi
• Minister of Public Works and Housing Yousef Hiasat
• Minister of Industry and Trade Sharif Zu'bi
• Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali
• Minister of Environment Khalid Irani
• Minister of Labour Bassem Salem
• Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Karim Malahmeh