NEW JORDANIAN CABINET FORMED

UNCLAS AMMAN 009145

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL JO
SUBJECT: NEW JORDANIAN CABINET FORMED



1. King Abdullah issued a royal decree November 27 approving
the formation of a new government under Prime Minister Marouf
al-Bakhit, who was named by the King to replace outgoing PM
Adnan Badran on November 24. The new government, counting
Bakhit, is made up of 24 ministers. Nine of these are
returning from Badran's final cabinet. Biographical
background on the new ministers and analysis will follow
septels.


2. Members of the new cabinet are:

Prime Minister and Minister of Defense: Marouf al-Bakhit

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance: Ziad Fareiz

Foreign Minister: Abdul Ilah Khatib

Minister of Municipal Affairs: Nader Thuherat

Minister of Interior: Eid al-Fayez

Minister of Public Works and Housing: Husni abu Gheida

Minister of Education and Higher Education: Khalid Touqan
(carry-over from Badran cabinet)

Minister of Justice: Abed Shakhanbeh (carry-over from Badran
cabinet)

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Azmi Khreisat
(carry-over from Badran cabinet)

Minister of Health: Saeed Darwazeh (carry-over from Badran
cabinet)

Minister of Transportation: Saud Nuseirat (carry-over from
Badran cabinet)

Minister of Industry and Trade: Sharif al-Zoubi (carry-over
from Badran cabinet)

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Suheir
al-Ali (carry-over from Badran cabinet)

Minister of Environment: Khalid al-Irani (carry-over from
Badran cabinet)

Minister of Labor: Bassem al-Salim (carry-over from Badran
cabinet)

Minister of Public Sector Development: Salem Khaza'leh

Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Abdul Fatah Salah

Minister of Water and Irrigation: Mohammad Thafer al-Alem

Minister of Agriculture: Akef al-Zoubi

Minister of Culture: Adel Toweisi

Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs:
Sabri Irbeihat

Minister of Social Development: Suleiman Tarawneh

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: Muneer Nassar

Minister of Communications and Information Technology: Omar
Kurdi
RUBINSTEIN