Jordan Times
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Bakhit reshuffles
Cabinet
By Khalid Neimat
AMMAN — Premier Marouf Bakhit on Wednesday reshuffled his Cabinet, bringing in
three former ministers and six newcomers.
“The reshuffle aimed to reinforce government plans,” Bakhit told reporters after
a Cabinet session.
“The government will enhance socio-economic programmes in a way that would
positively reflect on the living conditions of citizens, as well as enact laws
governing political parties, municipalities and the press.”
King Abdullah yesterday swore in the new ministers and a Royal Decree endorsed
the reshuffle, under which Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ziad Fariz,
Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib and Interior Minister Eid Fayez kept their
posts.
The prime minister also changed the portfolios of two ministers. Sharif Z’ubi,
minister of industry and trade in Bakhit’s former Cabinet and in the previous
government of Adnan Badran, was named justice minister after the resignation of
Abed Shakhanbeh. He was replaced as industry and trade minister by Salem
Khazaaleh, who formerly headed the ministry of public sector development.
Bakhit added two ministries of state: One for prime ministry affairs, headed by
Muhyiddine Touq, a former minister of administrative development and president
of Philadelphia University, and the other for legal affairs, taken by Khalid
Samara Zu’bi, who was in charge of the legal and parliamentary affairs portfolio
in 1998.
First timers included former MP Mohammad Oran, who was named minister of
political development, replacing Sabri Rbeihat. Oran served as head of the
Jordan Medical Association and secretary general of the nationalist Arab Land
Party, founded in 1996.
Bassem Roussan, who was deputy chief executive officer of the Jordan Mobile
Telephone Services Company, Fastlink, was appointed minister of information and
communications technology, replacing Omar Kurdi.
Osama Dabbas, who was general manager of the Aqaba InterContinental Hotel, took
the helm of the Tourism Ministry, replacing Munir Nassar.
Mustafa Qurunfleh, vice president of the University of Jordan, replaced Akef
Zu’bi as minister of agriculture and Khalid Shraideh, secretary general of the
Higher Council for Science and Technology since 1987, replaced Azmi Khreisat as
minister of energy and mineral resources.
Saad Kharabsheh was promoted health minister after serving as secretary general
of the ministry, replacing Saeed Darwazeh, and Mohammad Thneibat, a former
minister of administrative development, was named to head the ministry of public
sector development and parliamentary affairs.
Earlier this month, the King approved a request by Bakhit to reshuffle his
government, which took office on November 27, 2005.
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit’s Cabinet after Wednesday’s reshuffle:
• Prime Minister and Minister of Defence
Marouf Bakhit
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ziad Fariz
• Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Ilah Khatib
• Minister of Municipal Affairs Nader Thuheirat
• Minister of Interior Eid Fayez
• Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs Muhyiddine Touq
• Minister of Public Works and Housing Hosni Abu Gheida
• Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Khalid Touqan
• Minister of Justice Sharif Zu’bi
• Minister of State for Legal Affairs Khalid Samara Zu’bi
• Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Shraideh
• Minister of Health Saad Kharabsheh
• Minister of Transport Saud Nseirat
• Minister of Industry and Trade Salem Khazaaleh
• Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Suhair Al-Ali
• Minister of Environment Khalid Irani
• Minister of Labour Bassem Salem
• Minister of Public Sector Reform and State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs
Mohammad Thneibat
• Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Fattah Salah
• Minister of Water and Irrigation Thafer Alem
• Minister of Agriculture Mustafa Qurunfleh
• Minister of Culture Adel Tweisi
• Minister of Political Development Mohammad Oran
• Minister of Social Development Suleiman Tarawneh
• Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Osama Dabbas
• Minister of Information and Communications Technology Bassem Roussan