Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SANAA389
2006-02-15 12:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
CABINET SHAKE-UP: BIOGRAPHIES FOR NEW MINISTERS
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SANAA 000389
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM INR DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: CABINET SHAKE-UP: BIOGRAPHIES FOR NEW MINISTERS
REF: SANAA 342
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SANAA 000389
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM INR DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: CABINET SHAKE-UP: BIOGRAPHIES FOR NEW MINISTERS
REF: SANAA 342
1. On February 11, President Saleh announced a dramatic
reshuffling of his 34-member cabinet (reftel). The reshuffle
included changes to 22 ministerial portfolios, 15 of which
went to individuals not previously in the government. Among
the new faces are two women, now heading the Ministries of
Human Rights and Social Affairs.
2. Biographic information on the 15 new ministers is listed
below. More detailed biographies and an analysis of the new
cabinet's anticipated impact on economic, social, and
security policy will be provided septel.
--------------
Biographical Information for New Ministers
--------------
-------------- --------------
3. Minister of Finance: Dr. Saif Mahyoub al-Asali
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1956
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: Good
Education: PhD Economics, United States
Experience: - Assistant Minister of Finance for
Revenues
- 2000 Board of Directors, Yemenia
Airline
- Professor of Economics, Sanaa
University
-------------- --------------
4. Minister of Oil and Mineral Wealth: Khaled Mahfouz
Bahaj
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1965
Place of Birth: Hadramout
English: Good
Education: - Masters, Business Administration, Bona
University, India
Experience: - Financial and Administrative Manager,
Arab Yemen Company
- Chief Supervisor for Human Resources
Director, Canadian Nexen, 1999-2005
-------------- --------------
5. Minister of Social Affairs and Labor: Dr. Amat
al-Razaq Ali Humad
-------------- --------------
Date of birth: unknown
Place of Birth: Hodeidah
English: Poor
Education: - PhD, Education Philosophy and Teaching
Methods, Ein Shams University, Egypt,
1987
Experience: - Associate Professor, Education
Department, Sanaa University
- Head of Arab and Islamic Studies,
Education Department, Sanaa
University
- Head of Higher Studies and Scientific
Research, Education Department, Sanna
University
- Visiting Professor, Arab Studies
Department, Georgetown University
- Participant, Arab Women's Forum,
Damascus, 2003
- Head, Curriculum Team for preparing
the National Strategy for Basic
Education
- Member, Arab Education Union
- Member, Egyptian University,
Curriculum and Teaching Methods
- Assistant Secretary for Women's
Sector, General People's Congress
-------------- --------------
6. Minister of Human Rights: Khadijah Ahmed al-Haisami
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: unknown
Place of Birth: unknown
English: Poor
Education: - PhD, Political Science, International
Relations, Egypt University
Experience: - Professor, Political Science, Sanaa
University
- Deputy Director, Women's Studies
Center,
Sanaa University
- Coordinator, Women and Development,
Women's Studies Center
- Consultant, National Environment
Protection Council
- Board member, Yemeni Olympic Committee
- Member, National Organization for
Election Monitoring
-------------- --------------
7. Minister of Information: Hassan Ahmed al-Lawzi
-------------- --------------
Date of birth: 1952
Place of birth: unknown
English: unknown
Education: - Graduate, Sharia Law, al-Azhar
University, Cairo
Experience: - Central Organization for Control and
Audit (COCA)
- Undersecretary, Ministry of
Information, 1980 - 1990
- Participated in the establishment of
the General People's Conference, 1982
- Editor in Chief, Al-Mithaq newspaper,
1982-1990
- Founding member, Yemeni Journalist
Syndicate
- Minister of Culture, 1990
- Minister of Information, 1993
- Ambassador to Jordan, 1994
- Shura Council, appointed 2001
-------------- --------------
8. Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation: Dr. Jalal
Ibrahim Fakaira
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: May 28, 1968
Place of Birth: Hodeidah
English: Good
Education: - PhD, International Relations, Baghdad
University, 1999
Experience: - Assistant Professor, Political Science,
Sanaa University
- General Director, Office of the Prime
Minister, 2005
- General Director, Scholarships
Department, Ministry of Higher
Education
- Vice President, Yemeni Political
Science Association
- Assistant General Secretary, National
Organization for Elections Monitoring
- Chairperson, Technical Team of Human
Rights Committee
- Participant, Youth Leadership Program,
USAID, 1990
- Participant, Fulbright American
Institute course, 2004
-------------- --------------
9. Minister of Public Health and Population: Abdul
Karim Ras'e
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: November 3, 1958
Place of Birth: Haja
English: unknown
Education: PhD, Pediatrics, Cairo University
Experience: - World Health Organization, Counterpart
Expert, 1985-1986
- Assistant Professor, Medical School,
Sanaa University
- Head of Pediatrics Department, Sanaa
University, 1993-1997
- Undersecretary for Services, Ministry
of Health, 1997-1999
- Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Department, Sanaa University,
1999-2003
- President of Aden University,
2003-2006
- Member, Executive Council, Union of
Arab Universities, 2004
- Head, Yemeni Pediatricians
Association, 2004
- Head, Arab Pediatrician Union, 2005
-------------- --------------
10. Minister of Fisheries: Mahmoud Ibrahim Sagheri
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1949
Place of Birth: Hodeida
English: unknown
Education: - Bachelors, Construction Engineering,
Technical Institute, Syria
- Diploma, Computers, Technical
Institute, Syria
Experience: - Editor-in-Chief, Al-Aklel Magazine,
1979-present
- Information Director, Ministry of
Culture and Media, 1989
- Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture
and Tourism, Aden branch, 1990
- Chief Technical Director, Aden Oil
Refinery, 1991
- Member, Arab High Council for Science
and Astronomy
- Deputy Minister of Fisheries, 2005
-------------- --------------
11. Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research:
Saleh Basoura
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: January 8, 1952
Place of Birth: Hadramout
English: unknown
Education: - BA, Education, History and Geography,
Aden University, 1976
- PhD, Philosophy, Leipzig University,
Germany 1986
Experience: - Professor, Aden University
- Head, History Department, School of
Education Aden University
- Dean of Scientific Research and Higher
Studies, Aden University
- President, Aden University, 1995
- President, Sanaa University, 2006
-------------- -
12. Minister of Tourism: Nabil Hasan al-Faqih
-------------- -
Date of Birth: 1967
Place of Birth: unknown
English: unknown
Education: - Bachelors, Economics (university
unknown)
Experience: - Marketing Manager, Yemenia Airline,
2000-2004
- Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism
and Culture, 2004-2006
- Head, Yemeni Union for Table Tennis
- Deputy Chairman, Arab Table Tennis
Union
-------------- --------------
13. Minister of Defense: Mohammed Nasser Ahmed Ali
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1948
Place of Birth: Abyan
English: unknown
Education: - MA, Military Science and Commanding,
(university known)
Experience: - Director, Supply Department, Ministry
of Defense, 1996 - 2006
- Deputy Director of Logistics,
1990-1996
- Deputy Director of Military Supplies,
former People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen
- Recipient, May 22 Award (Yemen's
highest national award)
-------------- --------------
14. Minister of State for Sanaa: Yehya Mohammed
al-Shaibi
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: April 27, 1952
Place of Birth: Lahij
English: Fluent
Education: - BA, Chemistry, Fateh University, Libya
- Masters, Chemistry, Tuskeqee University,
1980
- PhD, Analytical Chemistry, South
Carolina University, 1984
Experience: - Professor, Sanaa University
- Deputy Director, Student Affairs,
Sanaa University
- Assistant Rector, Sanaa University
- Ministry of Education, 1997-2001
- Minister of Education, 2002
- Governor of Aden, 2003 - 2006
-------------- --------------
15. Minister of Justice: Judge Ghazi Shaif al-Aghbari
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: September 26, 1956
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: unknown
Education: - BA, Law, Cairo University, 1982
- Diploma, Sharia Law, Cairo University,
1985
- Diploma, Special Law, Cairo
University, 1986
- PhD, Commercial Law, Cairo University,
1994
Experience: - Lawyer and Legal Advisor on
Commercial Affairs and Special
Arbitration, 1994-1998
- Head, Commercial Appeals Court, Sanaa,
1998-2001
- Lecturer, Commercial, Maritime and
Arbitration Law, Higher Judiciary
Institute and Police Academy
- Accredited Arbitrator, Arab Union for
International Arbitration
- Accredited Arbitrator, Cairo Regional
Center for International Commercial
Arbitration
- Assistant Professor, Department of
Maritime and Commercial Law, Sanaa
University
- Judge, Commercial Department, Supreme
Court, 2001 - 2006
-------------- --------------
16. Minister of Public Works and Roads: Engineer
Omar Abdullah al-Kurshemi
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: October 1, 1964
Place of Birth: Sanaa
English: Good
Education: - BSc, Civil Engineering, University of
Texas
Experience: - Civil Engineer, Public Corporation for
Roads and Bridges, 1990 - 1997
- Director General of Corporation for
Roads and Bridges, Hadramout Branch,
1997-2006
-------------- --------------
17. Minister of Water and Environment: Abdulrahman
Fadhl Al-Iriyani
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: March 4, 1954
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: Good
Education: - BSc, Agriculture, American University,
Beirut
Experience: - Director, Socotra Development Project
- Deputy Chairman, Yemeni Islands
Development Authority
- Director of Agricultural Research
Board, Taiz
- Director, Taiz World Bank Pilot
Project
Krajeski
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM INR DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: CABINET SHAKE-UP: BIOGRAPHIES FOR NEW MINISTERS
REF: SANAA 342
1. On February 11, President Saleh announced a dramatic
reshuffling of his 34-member cabinet (reftel). The reshuffle
included changes to 22 ministerial portfolios, 15 of which
went to individuals not previously in the government. Among
the new faces are two women, now heading the Ministries of
Human Rights and Social Affairs.
2. Biographic information on the 15 new ministers is listed
below. More detailed biographies and an analysis of the new
cabinet's anticipated impact on economic, social, and
security policy will be provided septel.
--------------
Biographical Information for New Ministers
--------------
-------------- --------------
3. Minister of Finance: Dr. Saif Mahyoub al-Asali
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1956
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: Good
Education: PhD Economics, United States
Experience: - Assistant Minister of Finance for
Revenues
- 2000 Board of Directors, Yemenia
Airline
- Professor of Economics, Sanaa
University
-------------- --------------
4. Minister of Oil and Mineral Wealth: Khaled Mahfouz
Bahaj
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1965
Place of Birth: Hadramout
English: Good
Education: - Masters, Business Administration, Bona
University, India
Experience: - Financial and Administrative Manager,
Arab Yemen Company
- Chief Supervisor for Human Resources
Director, Canadian Nexen, 1999-2005
-------------- --------------
5. Minister of Social Affairs and Labor: Dr. Amat
al-Razaq Ali Humad
-------------- --------------
Date of birth: unknown
Place of Birth: Hodeidah
English: Poor
Education: - PhD, Education Philosophy and Teaching
Methods, Ein Shams University, Egypt,
1987
Experience: - Associate Professor, Education
Department, Sanaa University
- Head of Arab and Islamic Studies,
Education Department, Sanaa
University
- Head of Higher Studies and Scientific
Research, Education Department, Sanna
University
- Visiting Professor, Arab Studies
Department, Georgetown University
- Participant, Arab Women's Forum,
Damascus, 2003
- Head, Curriculum Team for preparing
the National Strategy for Basic
Education
- Member, Arab Education Union
- Member, Egyptian University,
Curriculum and Teaching Methods
- Assistant Secretary for Women's
Sector, General People's Congress
-------------- --------------
6. Minister of Human Rights: Khadijah Ahmed al-Haisami
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: unknown
Place of Birth: unknown
English: Poor
Education: - PhD, Political Science, International
Relations, Egypt University
Experience: - Professor, Political Science, Sanaa
University
- Deputy Director, Women's Studies
Center,
Sanaa University
- Coordinator, Women and Development,
Women's Studies Center
- Consultant, National Environment
Protection Council
- Board member, Yemeni Olympic Committee
- Member, National Organization for
Election Monitoring
-------------- --------------
7. Minister of Information: Hassan Ahmed al-Lawzi
-------------- --------------
Date of birth: 1952
Place of birth: unknown
English: unknown
Education: - Graduate, Sharia Law, al-Azhar
University, Cairo
Experience: - Central Organization for Control and
Audit (COCA)
- Undersecretary, Ministry of
Information, 1980 - 1990
- Participated in the establishment of
the General People's Conference, 1982
- Editor in Chief, Al-Mithaq newspaper,
1982-1990
- Founding member, Yemeni Journalist
Syndicate
- Minister of Culture, 1990
- Minister of Information, 1993
- Ambassador to Jordan, 1994
- Shura Council, appointed 2001
-------------- --------------
8. Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation: Dr. Jalal
Ibrahim Fakaira
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: May 28, 1968
Place of Birth: Hodeidah
English: Good
Education: - PhD, International Relations, Baghdad
University, 1999
Experience: - Assistant Professor, Political Science,
Sanaa University
- General Director, Office of the Prime
Minister, 2005
- General Director, Scholarships
Department, Ministry of Higher
Education
- Vice President, Yemeni Political
Science Association
- Assistant General Secretary, National
Organization for Elections Monitoring
- Chairperson, Technical Team of Human
Rights Committee
- Participant, Youth Leadership Program,
USAID, 1990
- Participant, Fulbright American
Institute course, 2004
-------------- --------------
9. Minister of Public Health and Population: Abdul
Karim Ras'e
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: November 3, 1958
Place of Birth: Haja
English: unknown
Education: PhD, Pediatrics, Cairo University
Experience: - World Health Organization, Counterpart
Expert, 1985-1986
- Assistant Professor, Medical School,
Sanaa University
- Head of Pediatrics Department, Sanaa
University, 1993-1997
- Undersecretary for Services, Ministry
of Health, 1997-1999
- Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Department, Sanaa University,
1999-2003
- President of Aden University,
2003-2006
- Member, Executive Council, Union of
Arab Universities, 2004
- Head, Yemeni Pediatricians
Association, 2004
- Head, Arab Pediatrician Union, 2005
-------------- --------------
10. Minister of Fisheries: Mahmoud Ibrahim Sagheri
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1949
Place of Birth: Hodeida
English: unknown
Education: - Bachelors, Construction Engineering,
Technical Institute, Syria
- Diploma, Computers, Technical
Institute, Syria
Experience: - Editor-in-Chief, Al-Aklel Magazine,
1979-present
- Information Director, Ministry of
Culture and Media, 1989
- Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture
and Tourism, Aden branch, 1990
- Chief Technical Director, Aden Oil
Refinery, 1991
- Member, Arab High Council for Science
and Astronomy
- Deputy Minister of Fisheries, 2005
-------------- --------------
11. Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research:
Saleh Basoura
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: January 8, 1952
Place of Birth: Hadramout
English: unknown
Education: - BA, Education, History and Geography,
Aden University, 1976
- PhD, Philosophy, Leipzig University,
Germany 1986
Experience: - Professor, Aden University
- Head, History Department, School of
Education Aden University
- Dean of Scientific Research and Higher
Studies, Aden University
- President, Aden University, 1995
- President, Sanaa University, 2006
-------------- -
12. Minister of Tourism: Nabil Hasan al-Faqih
-------------- -
Date of Birth: 1967
Place of Birth: unknown
English: unknown
Education: - Bachelors, Economics (university
unknown)
Experience: - Marketing Manager, Yemenia Airline,
2000-2004
- Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism
and Culture, 2004-2006
- Head, Yemeni Union for Table Tennis
- Deputy Chairman, Arab Table Tennis
Union
-------------- --------------
13. Minister of Defense: Mohammed Nasser Ahmed Ali
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: 1948
Place of Birth: Abyan
English: unknown
Education: - MA, Military Science and Commanding,
(university known)
Experience: - Director, Supply Department, Ministry
of Defense, 1996 - 2006
- Deputy Director of Logistics,
1990-1996
- Deputy Director of Military Supplies,
former People's Democratic Republic of
Yemen
- Recipient, May 22 Award (Yemen's
highest national award)
-------------- --------------
14. Minister of State for Sanaa: Yehya Mohammed
al-Shaibi
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: April 27, 1952
Place of Birth: Lahij
English: Fluent
Education: - BA, Chemistry, Fateh University, Libya
- Masters, Chemistry, Tuskeqee University,
1980
- PhD, Analytical Chemistry, South
Carolina University, 1984
Experience: - Professor, Sanaa University
- Deputy Director, Student Affairs,
Sanaa University
- Assistant Rector, Sanaa University
- Ministry of Education, 1997-2001
- Minister of Education, 2002
- Governor of Aden, 2003 - 2006
-------------- --------------
15. Minister of Justice: Judge Ghazi Shaif al-Aghbari
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: September 26, 1956
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: unknown
Education: - BA, Law, Cairo University, 1982
- Diploma, Sharia Law, Cairo University,
1985
- Diploma, Special Law, Cairo
University, 1986
- PhD, Commercial Law, Cairo University,
1994
Experience: - Lawyer and Legal Advisor on
Commercial Affairs and Special
Arbitration, 1994-1998
- Head, Commercial Appeals Court, Sanaa,
1998-2001
- Lecturer, Commercial, Maritime and
Arbitration Law, Higher Judiciary
Institute and Police Academy
- Accredited Arbitrator, Arab Union for
International Arbitration
- Accredited Arbitrator, Cairo Regional
Center for International Commercial
Arbitration
- Assistant Professor, Department of
Maritime and Commercial Law, Sanaa
University
- Judge, Commercial Department, Supreme
Court, 2001 - 2006
-------------- --------------
16. Minister of Public Works and Roads: Engineer
Omar Abdullah al-Kurshemi
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: October 1, 1964
Place of Birth: Sanaa
English: Good
Education: - BSc, Civil Engineering, University of
Texas
Experience: - Civil Engineer, Public Corporation for
Roads and Bridges, 1990 - 1997
- Director General of Corporation for
Roads and Bridges, Hadramout Branch,
1997-2006
-------------- --------------
17. Minister of Water and Environment: Abdulrahman
Fadhl Al-Iriyani
-------------- --------------
Date of Birth: March 4, 1954
Place of Birth: Taiz
English: Good
Education: - BSc, Agriculture, American University,
Beirut
Experience: - Director, Socotra Development Project
- Deputy Chairman, Yemeni Islands
Development Authority
- Director of Agricultural Research
Board, Taiz
- Director, Taiz World Bank Pilot
Project
Krajeski