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 SIPDIS 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 SIPDIS 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 SIPDIS 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