BIOS FOR JORDAN'S NEW CABINET MEMBERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 AMMAN 007068

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2013
TAGS: PINR PREL KDEM KWMN PHUM ECON JO
SUBJECT: BIOS FOR JORDAN'S NEW CABINET MEMBERS

REF: A. AMMAN 06767

B. AMMAN 06728

C. AMMAN 06812

D. AMMAN 06907

Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (B,D)


1. (C) Reflecting a trend (and the 11 ministers) carried
over from the previous Jordanian cabinet, western-educated,
Muslim, "East Bankers" dominate the newly-appointed, slimmer,
21-member cabinet of Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez. We
count seven Jordanians of Palestinian origin ("West
Bankers"),one member of the minority Circassian Muslim
community, and four Christians among the ministers. Of the
East Bankers, most ministers hail from the central Jordanian
governates of Amman and al-Balqa'a (which includes Salt
city). At the same time, the cabinet list appears to make
good on the King's vision of a more progressive,
reform-minded cabinet committed to political and economic
development. Mainly comprised of young, western-educated
ministers, including an unprecedented three women, the oldest
cabinet minister is 57; the youngest is 37 years old.
Two-thirds -- 14 of 21 -- earned degrees from an American or
European university.


2. (U) New members of the cabinet are:


A. (C) Prime Minister and Defense Minister Faisal al-Fayez:

Fayez's strong tribal credentials -- he is the son of the
late 'Akef al-Fayez, a prominent leader of the Bani Sakhr
tribe of central Jordan -- should appease East Bankers
concerned about the implications of the King's reform agenda.
His close relationship with the King also should help
balance his lack of ministerial experience.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in 1952 in Amman, Fayez graduated
from Amman's private Catholic De La Salle College (high
school). He earned a BA in political science from Cardiff
University in Britain, and an MA in political science from
Boston University. During service at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, he was posted in Brussels. He was appointed Deputy
Chief of the Royal Court and Chief of Royal Protocol prior to
being named Minister of the Royal Hashemite Court in March

2003. In his position as Chief of Royal Protocol and
Minister of Court, Fayez was well known to American Embassy
officers. As Chief of Protocol, Fayez generally played a
"behind the scenes role," orchestrating the King's meetings
and the comings and goings of guests to the palace. Fayez is
soft spoken and self-effacing, although we have noticed a
tendency for him to speak up more frequently at meetings with
the King over the past two years (presumably as the King
gained confidence in his abilities.) In hindsight, the
emphasis on his political role during this time may have been
preparation for assuming the position of Prime Minister.
Fayez is an alumnus of the International Visitor Program on
"Election Campaign" in 1988. He is married with three
children.


B. (C) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and
Trade Mohammad al-Halaiqa:

As the head of the cabinet's economic committee, a budget
hawk, and one of the more seasoned members, Halaiqa will play
a major role in coordinating cross-cutting economic issues as
well as being a court of appeal on budget issues.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in Shioukh near Hebron in 1951,
Halaiqa obtained a BS in chemistry from the University of
Jordan in 1976 and a PhD in industrial chemistry from
University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. He served as
director-general (1990-92) and director (1992-93) of the
Amman Chamber of Industry. He was appointed as Assistant
Secretary-General (1993-94) of the Higher Council for Science

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and Technology and Director-General of the Jordan Export
Development Corporation (1994-97). From 1997-2000 he served
as Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade,
and was named minister in January 2000. Dr. Halaiqa served
as Jordan's chief negotiator for accession to the World Trade
Organization (WTO). In June 2000, he was named Deputy Prime
Minister for Economic Affairs, and Minister of National
Economy in January 2002. He was appointed Deputy Prime
Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Administrative
Development in July 2003. The Embassy and U.S. officials
have a high opinion of his professionalism, as demonstrated
during successive rounds of WTO talks and FTA negotiations.


C. (C) Minister of Foreign Affairs Marwan al-Muasher:

Muasher is among the strongest proponents in the cabinet of
political reform and increased political participation. He
commented to the Ambassador recently that he had been
instrumental in ensuring that this cabinet change brought
about political as well as economic development.

Christian, East Banker. Born in Amman in 1956, Muasher
completed secondary education at the Terra Sancta school. He
has a BS in electrical engineering as well as an MS and PhD
in computer science from Purdue University. Muasher has
served as a lecturer at the University of Dhahran, Saudi
Arabia and Director of the computer department at the Jordan
Electricity Company. He also worked at the Planning Ministry
and was advisor to former Prime Minister Zaid Bin Shaker. He
was director of the Jordan Information Bureau in Washington
from 1991-1994 and the spokesman for Jordan's delegation
during peace treaty negotiations with Israel, signed in 1994.
Muasher was appointed as Jordan's ambassador to Israel in
1995, Minister of Information in 1996, and ambassador to
Washington in 1997. In 2000, Muasher received the Kawkab
(planet) Medal of the First Order. He has served as Minister
of Foreign Affairs since January 2002. Muasher participated
in an multi-regional project as part of the International
Visitors Program on "New Technologies in American Industry"
in 1986.


D. (C) Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary
Affairs Mohammad Daoudiyeh:

Given his rural, tribal background, many believe Daoudiyeh
will emerge as the cabinet's main liaison with tribes to
explain -- and soften the blow of -- the political reform
program.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in al-Ejfour near Mafraq in 1947,
Daoudiyeh obtained a diploma in English from Amman College
and served in the Ministry of Education between 1968 and

1976. He then became a journalist and a columnist at the
Arabic daily al-Dustour. Between 1992-93, he served as chief
of the information office at the Royal Court's Public
Relations Department. He was elected as a member of the
Lower House of Parliament in 1993, and served as ambassador
to Morocco. He is a member of the Jordan Press Foundation
and the Jordan Writers Foundation.


E. (C) Minister of Information and Communications
Technology and Minister of Administrative Development Fawwaz
Zu'bi:

A leader in developing Jordan's IT potential and reforming
the telecommunications sector since 2000, Zu'bi has been one
of the strongest proponents of economic and administrative
reform in the government. Zu'bi and his new title as
Minister of Administrative Development may indicate the
King's desire to move ahead with e-government and personnel
and pension reform plans.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in 1956, Zu'bi holds a BS in
mechanical engineering and economics, an MS in mechanical
engineering and physics as well as a PhD from Duke
University. Zu'bi worked as Vice Chairman and Executive
Director of Arab Drip Irrigation Systems Manufacturing
Company from 1984-2000. He is a member of the Economic
Consultation Council, a founding member of the Board of the
Directors of the Young Entrepreneurs Association. Zu'bi also
sits on the Board of Directors of the Jordan River Foundation
and the International Community School. He has served as
minister of information and communications technology since
June 2000. He is married with two sons.


F. (C) Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
Bassem Awadallah:

Awadallah, who has significantly influenced the direction of
Jordan's economic reform program since 1999, is particularly
close to the King, and therefore has a strong sense of
empowerment.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in 1964, Awadallah obtained a BA
in International Economics with honors from Georgetown
University in 1984. He earned an MA and a PhD in economics,
both from the London School of Economics. From 1988-1990, he
worked as finance manager of the EDGO Group in London.
Awadallah subsequently served as Finance and Project
Development Manager for the New Work Co. Ltd. in Amman and
then economic adviser to Prime Minister Tawarneh. In 1999,
Awadallah became Director of the Economic Department of the
Royal Court. Awadallah played a key role in Jordan-Israel
peace negotiations. He was appointed Minister of Planning in
October 2001, a position he has held continuously since that
time. Awadallah is not married.


G. (C) Minister of Justice and Minister of State for
Cabinet Affairs Salah al-Bashir:

His legal background, role in designing many key economic
reform policies, and experience as Minister of Industry and
Trade since 2001 should help Bashir face the challenges of
reforming Jordan's inefficient legal system. Bashir is the
legal architect of many of Jordan's key economic reforms,
especially in commercial and regulatory areas, on which he
worked closely with USAID-supported projects. He has a
reputation for theoretical brilliance, micro-management, and
poor administration. He should be well-suited to clean up
the clogged legal system, a major deterrent cited by foreign
investors and human rights activists.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in 1966, Bashir obtained a BA in
Law from the University of Jordan in 1987, a law degree from
Harvard Law School, and a PhD in Civil Law from McGill
University in 1996. Bashir began his career as a research
assistant at McGill and went on to become an adjunct
professor of law at the University of Jordan in 1996. In
1997, he was appointed managing partner of Abu Ghazaleh Legal
Services, and served as legal advisor on international
affairs and director of the firm's legal department, before
forming his own firm, International Business Law Associates.
Bashir was appointed to King Abdullah's 20-member Economic
Consultative Council in 1999. He served as Minister of Trade
and Industry under Abul Ragheb from October 2001-July 2003.
Bashir speaks excellent English.


H. (C) Minister of Interior Samir Habashneh:

Criticized by some who believe Habashneh's appointment is a
reward to one of the King's cronies, human rights advocates
hope that his activist past -- and four years in detention
for his political activism in the 1970s -- will herald a more
relaxed approach to political activism in Jordan.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in Bethlehem in 1951, Habashneh
earned his BS in Agricultural Engineering from Baghdad
University in 1974. After graduation, he worked in the
private and public agricultural sectors, and as a journalist
and columnist in the Arabic daily al-Dustour newspaper. He
is a member of the Royal Charter Commission and the Studies
Center on Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in the Arab
World. He also worked as a consultant at the Ministry of
Youth in 1993. He was elected a member of the lower House of
Parliament in 1993 representing Karak, was appointed Minister
of Culture in 1995, and was appointed to the Senate in 2001.
He was named Interior Minister in July 2003. Habashneh
participated in a "Parliamentary Exchange" program under the
International Visitors Program in 1993.


I. (C) Minister of Education Khalid Touqan:

Touqan's strong academic credentials and experience as
Education Minister since 2000 should help him forward his
goal of introducing civic education in Jordan's public
schools.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in Amman in 1954, Touqan obtained
a BS from the American University of Beirut, an MA from
Michigan State University, and a PhD from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. Prior to entering government
service, he served as head of the Nuclear Engineering
Department and as Dean of the Department of Engineering and
Technology at the University of Jordan, as well as President
of al-Balqa'a Applied Science University. He has served as
Minister of Education since his appointment by Abul Ragheb in
June 2000. Touqan has worked closely with the Embassy on
various aspects of education reform. He is married with two
sons and a daughter.


J. (U) Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Ahmad Hilayel:

The reappointment of Hilayel indicates that the King remains
confident the Minister adequately supports the King's efforts
to promote a moderate version of Islam in Jordan.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in Na'our in 1948, Hilayel earned
his BA in Islamic Law (Shari'ah) from the Islamic University
in Madina, Saudi Arabia in 1972. He obtained his MA (1976)
and PhD (1978) from al-Azhar University in Cairo. He held
several positions in the Awqaf Ministry until he became its
Secretary General from 1988-1994. He has served as Imam of

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the Royal Court since 1992 and was first appointed Minister
of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs by former Prime Minister Abul
Ragheb in June 2001. Hilayel participated in an individual
International Visitors program on the "Role of Religion" in

1986.


K. (SBU) Minister of Water and Irrigation and Minister of
Agriculture Hazem al-Nasser:

Nasser's education and long work experience on water issues
make him well-suited to address the main challenge of
promoting reform in a moribund ministry and a sensitive
sector. With agriculture consuming the bulk of Jordan's
water supply, the addition of the Agriculture Ministry to his
portfolio makes logical sense, but will increase the
political sensitivity of his position.

Christian, East Banker. Born in Fuheis in 1963, Nasser
obtained a BS and MS in underground water resources from the
University of Jordan in 1984 and 1986 respectively, and a PhD
from the University of Wurzberg, Germany, in 1990. Nasser
started his career at the Water Ministry as head of the Disi
Water Project in 1991. He was assistant to the Secretary
General of the Water Ministry until 1999, when he was
appointed Secretary General of the Water Ministry. He became
Minister of Water and Irrigation in June 2001. Nasser is
highly respected for his work in the Water Ministry, where he
has pushed through important reforms and major projects.
Nasser has worked closely with USAID in its water sector
programs.


L. (C) Minister of Finance Dr. Mohammad Abu Hammour:

A master of budget management and a strong supporter of
economic reforms, Abu Hammour has been instrumental in
successfully pushing the military pension reform plan,
balancing the political influence of the military, and
reducing the budget deficit to a sustainable level. A
faithful protege of former Finance Minister Michel Marto, it
remains to be seen if Abu Hammour has the authority and
political experience to sustain Marto's reputation for
enforcing fiscal discipline on a somewhat reluctant body
politic. He told the Ambassador that the new government must
abide by previous commitments to raise petroleum prices,
raise the sales tax, and implement pension reform.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in Salt in 1961, Abu Hammour
obtained a BS, MS, and PhD in economics from Yarmouk
University (1984, 1990, 1997, respectively). He worked at
the Central Bank of Jordan (1987-98) and the University of
Jordan, where he was a part-time lecturer and a committee
member discussing Master's dissertations. For several years,
he worked in a number of offices at the Finance Ministry
before becoming its Secretary-General in late 2000 -- a
position which he held until his appointment as Minister of
Industry and Trade in Abul Ragheb's third cabinet in July

2003. Abu Hammour is very well known to the Embassy as a
serious financial technocrat. He is hard working and was
respected by the IMF as Secretary General.


M. (C) Minister of Labor Amjad al-Majali:

Clearly a political appointee who is more interested in
political issues than labor, Majali will have to learn about
his new portfolio. Signaling his political proclivities, he
told the Ambassador that he had participated in the
"political" working group at the King's weekend ministerial
retreat in Aqaba, not the "economic" group.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in Karak in 1946, Majali obtained
a BA in political science from Oklahoma State University in

1970. He served as deputy chief of protocol at the Royal
Court. Between 1985-1990, Majali served as ambassador to
Bahrain, and in 1992-93, he was head of the International
Organizations Department at the Foreign Ministry. He served
simultaneously as Ambassador to Greece and Cyprus from
1992-1997. Majali was elected as member of the Lower House
of Parliament in 1997, representing Karak. Prior to his
appointment as Labor Minister, Majali served in the 19th
Senate (2003). He speaks excellent English and is acquainted
with several former U.S. ambassadors.


N. (U) Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Minister of
Environment Alia Hattough-Bouran:

Bouran's solid environmental credentials and experience as
former Tourism Minister and trade negotiator will serve her
well as she assumes the helm of this newly combined portfolio.

Muslim, Circassian, East Banker. Born in Na'our, Dr. Bouran
obtained her BS and MS in applied environmental studies from
Moscow State University. She earned a PhD in ecology and
environmental sciences in 1983 from the Russian Academy of
Science. Dr. Bouran is a natural resources specialist,
ecologist and conservation strategist, and has authored more
than 20 publications in the field. She served as an
associate professor of ecological sciences and headed the
environmental unit at the Center for Strategic Studies at the
University of Jordan. Dr. Bouran served as Jordan's National
Coordinator for the World Conservation Union, a leading
global NGO working on sustainable development. She also
headed the environment section of the National Task Force for
Children, a commission under the supervision of Queen Noor.
She was senior advisor on environmental affairs at the
Foreign Ministry before becoming Secretary General at the
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in June 1998. Bouran is
well-known to U.S. officials as the chief Jordanian
negotiator of the environmental provisions in the U.S.-Jordan
Free Trade Agreement. This expertise will serve her well in
moving forward in implementing those provisions, including by
holding the bilateral environmental forum called for in an
FTA annex. Bouran served in Brussels as Jordan's Ambassador
to Belgium and the EU since 2001.


O. (SBU) Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Azmi
Khreisat:

Through his government and business experience in the energy
field, Khreisat has earned a reputation for efficiency and
good decision-making.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in 1956, Khreisat holds an MA in
electrical engineering from Manchester University in the UK.
He served as director of the Department of Industrial Power
at Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources before he became
secretary general in October 2001. Khreisat has been

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director general of the Jordanian Petroleum Refinery since
April 2003. Khreisat has been a good contact of the Embassy,
both as Secretary General and at the refinery company. He
has worked closely with the Trade and Development Agency on
TDA-supported projects. Khreisat is married with three
children.


P. (U) Minister of Social Development Riyad Abu Karaki:

Abu Karaki's military background and strong organizational
skills will be an asset as he deals with the challenges in
reforming a Ministry currently in disarray. He closely
follows U.S. Army planning techniques and probably will
utilize oversight and detailed planning in his new position.
He will quickly find one or two close associates who will
serve as his trusted agents, overseeing his most important
projects.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in 1945 in Ma'an, Abu Karaki
obtained a BA and MA in oriental studies. A career military
officer, he served as assistant chief of staff for
administration and then for operations and training. Abu
Karaki is a personable former officer with a long and
amicable relationship with the U.S. military. Abu Karaki is
married with three children.


Q. (C) Minister of Public Works and Housing and Minister of
Transport Raed Abu Saud:

Known to the Embassy as an effective professional in his
former job at the Water Ministry, Abu Saud also is said to
have close personal connections to Planning Minister
Awadallah.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in 1957 in Amman, Abu Saud
obtained his BA in civil engineering from the University of
Miami. From 1982-1999, he managed several investment
projects in Jordan and abroad. He headed the administration
and planning unit at the Ministry of Water from 2000-2003,
and directly supervised the rehabilitation of Amman's water
networks. Abu Saud studied English at the Embassy's American
Language Center to improve his confidence and English public
speaking ability.


R. (U) Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Issam Zabalawi:

Although not known to the Embassy, Zabalawi's strong
scientific and academic background appears to make him a good
choice for this combined portfolio.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in Amman in 1950, Zabalawi
received BS with distinction in electrical engineering in
1974 from Cairo University, an MS with distinction in
microwave communication engineering from Leeds University in
1976, and a PhD in electrical and electronics engineering
also from Leeds University in 1979. Between 1989-1993, he
served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology
at the University of Jordan, and Chancellor of the University
of Sharjah from 1999-2003.


S. (U) Minister of Municipality Affairs Amal Farhan:

Farhan's appointment to head a traditionally male-dominated
Ministry suggests the King intends to shake up the male- and
tribal-dominated status quo in cities and towns.

Muslim, East Banker. Born in Nuaimeh/Irbid in 1948, Farhan
obtained a BA from the American University of Beirut in
political science in 1970. She completed an MA and a PhD in
public administration in 1979 at New York University. She
headed the faculty of business administration at the
University of Jordan from 1979 until 2003, and served as a
member of the board of trustees of the Queen Alia Fund.


T. (C) Minister of State and Government Spokesperson Asma
Khader:

According to PM Fayez, the appointment of well-known human
rights activist with legal training signals the King's goal
of invigorating the role of NGOs and civil society in Jordan.
Khader has been an outspoken advocate of women's and human
rights in Jordan, but has sometimes run afoul of activists in
other human rights organizations with her brusque style.

Christian, West Banker. Khader is the general coordinator of
the Sisterhood is Global Institute (SIGI),a non-profit human
rights organization, and a member of the human rights
organization Mizan. She served as former president of the
Jordanian Women's Union and member of the Arab Lawyers'
Union. She also is the founder of the National Network for
Poverty Alleviation. She won the UNDP Poverty Eradication
Award for 2003. Khader has provided much of the inspiration
for SIGI and Mizan, and these two organizations will likely
suffer without her at the helm.


U. (U) Minister of Health Said Darwazeh:

Darwazeh's business background should help him address some
of the difficulties faced by international drug companies
when registering and protecting their products in Jordan, as
well as to reform the over-staffed and inefficient public
healthcare system. We expect Darwazeh to focus on developing
Jordan's potential as a regional center for advanced medical
care.

Muslim, West Banker. Born in Kuwait in 1957, he obtained his
BS in industrial engineering in the U.S. and a masters in
business administration from INSEAD, the elite international
business program in France. His background as a
businessperson rather than a physician or an academic makes
him a unique choice for Jordan's Health Ministry. He has
been president of the family-owned Hikma Pharmaceuticals
Company since 1995. Hikma is probably the most successful
Jordanian pharmaceutical company to prosper under Jordan's
new intellectual property regime. It has obtained FDA and EU
approval for exports to the United States and to Europe and
invested in a New Jersey-based subsidiary.

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