NEW JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT SWORN IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 006907 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ECON JO SUBJECT: NEW JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT SWORN IN REF: A. AMMAN 06812 ¶B. AMMAN 06767 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. King Abdullah swore in his new 21-member Cabinet October 25 led by Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez and including nine first-time ministers. During a two day retreat prior to the swearing in ceremony, the ministers discussed ways to achieve the King's priorities and were charged with developing specific action plans. Fayez confirmed to the press that his government would focus on both political and economic development. End Summary. -------------- AND THE WINNERS ARE . . . -------------- ¶2. Jordan's new Cabinet was sworn in October 25 by King Abdullah and held its first official session that same day. The complete Cabinet list is as follows: Prime Minister & Minister of Defense: Faisal al-Fayez (new) Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Industry and Trade: Mohammad Halaiqa (former Minister) Minister of Foreign Affairs: Marwan Muasher (former Minister) Minister of Political Development & Minister of Parliamentary Affairs: Mohammad Daoudiyeh (former Minister) Minister of Information Technology & Minister of Administrative Development: Fawwaz Zu'bi (former Minister) Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Bassem Awadallah (former Minister) Minister of Justice & Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs: Salah Bashir (former Minister) Minister of Interior: Samir Habashneh (former Minister) Minister of Education: Khalid Touqan (former Minister) Minister of Islamic Affairs: Ahmad Hilayel (former Minister) Minister of Water and Irrigation & Minister of Agriculture: Hazen Nasser (former Minister) Minister of Finance: Mohammad Abu Hammour (former Minister) Minister of Labor: Amjad Majali (new) Minister of Tourism and Antiquities & Minister of Environment: Alia Hattough-Bouran (new) Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Azmi Khreisat (new) Minister of Social Development: Riyad Abu Karaki (new) Minister of Public Works and Housing & Minister of Transport: Raed Abu Saud (new) Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Issam Zabalawi (new) Minister of Municipal Affairs: Amal Farhan (new) Minister of State & Government Spokesperson: Asma Khader (new) Minister of Health: Saeed Darwazeh (new) ¶3. The new Cabinet includes eleven former ministers, ten of whom served in one or more of former Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb's successive governments. Faisal al-Fayez and nine others are all first-time ministers. An unprecedented three members of the Cabinet are women: Alia Bouran, Alma Farhan, and Asma Khader. Biographic information on each minister will be provided septel. -------------- DOWNSIZING GOVERNMENT -------------- ¶4. As reported ref b, the number of Cabinet ministers has been reduced from 29 in the previous government to 21. This was accomplished by combining Cabinet portfolios, eliminating three Minister of State posts (i.e., Ministers of State for Political Affairs, Legal Affairs, and Foreign Affairs),and abolishing two ministries -- the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Political Development, on the other hand, is a new addition and the post of Government Spokesperson held by Asma Khader was elevated to Cabinet level. In previous governments, the now defunct Minister of Information usually acted as spokesperson. ¶5. During its first session, the new Cabinet approved two temporary laws to pave the way for scrapping the Ministries of Information and Culture. According to Khader, Deputy Prime Minster Mohammad Halaiqa will temporarily take on the Ministry of Culture portfolio until the dissolution of the ministry is complete and its responsibilities distributed elsewhere, possibly to a new "Higher Council for Culture." ¶6. Similarly, Fayez will temporarily hold the Ministry of Information portfolio or delegate it to another minister until that ministry is formally dissolved. Khader stated that the 11-member Higher Media Council may be charged with overseeing departments related to the Ministry of Information. She noted that, "Some of the departments like the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation are partially independent or linked to the Minister of Information by law. We will work on making these departments more independent and open." -------------- A WORKING RETREAT -------------- ¶7. Prior to their swearing in ceremony, the new ministers attended a two-day retreat hosted by King Abdullah in Aqaba to discuss the King's objectives for the new government and establish priorities for achieving them (see refs a and b). As part of this process, they were divided into four groups to draft recommendations on enhancing political development, economic and social reform, Jordan's competitive capabilities, and government performance. According to press reports, the King also charged each minister to come up with a specific plan of action for his/her ministry including set goals and timetables. -------------- FAYEZ SPEAKS OUT -------------- ¶8. In his first public statement as Prime Minister, Fayez pledged to fulfill the King's mandate for a more modern and democratic Jordan, stating that there would be "a new era in which democracy is entrenched and complete to include all the components of Jordanian society . . . with no exceptions." He committed the government to "open the door wide for dialogue" and to seek formation of "strong and representative political parties." Fayez also promised to augment the role of women and said that, "We have absolute belief in the role of women as fundamental partners in the process of building the future of Jordan." ¶9. Another government priority, according to Fayez, is to develop "a free and honest media that is responsible and courageous, and that respects pluralism of opinion." In pursuance of this goal, he said that his government would work to facilitate private sector ownership of all types of media. ¶10. Fayez further pledged to fight poverty and unemployment by spurring economic development. Characterizing the economy as the nucleus of the government's modernization and reform program, he said that the GOJ would continue to enact legislation to attract investment and provide opportunities to the private sector. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (SBU) After much semi-public, semi-informed discussion in Amman of the imminent government changes, few were surprised by the final Cabinet list. The Cabinet's composition indicates that the King aimed for a close balance between experience and fresh ideas. Fayez's initial comments as Prime Minister reinforce earlier statements that the King and his new government will remain focused on social and political reform, in addition to continuing the current economic program. ¶12. Baghdad minimize considered. Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. GNEHM