By Noura Wazani
Amman
Jordan’s new cabinet was sworn in Monday before King Abdullah II, an official source said.
The team consists of 29 members, including Premier- Designate Ali Abu Ragheb, one woman, Tamam Ghoul, and ten ministers who retained their portfolios from the outgoing cabinet.
Planning Minister Taleb Rifai changes portfolios, taking over the information ministry.
The cabinet includes nine people of Palestinian origin and two Islamists instead of the one originally forecast to be included.
Abu Ragheb, 53, was named Sunday to form a new government with the job of re-establishing a climate of confidence in the country to attract investment.
The new government, the second since the king ascended the Throne in February 1999, replaces that of Abdul Rau’f Rawabdeh, that has been blamed for slowness in applying the economic reforms sought by the monarch.
Following of full list of the new cabinet, according to the source:
Ali Abu Ragheb: Prime Minister, Minister of Defense
Awad Khleifat: Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Interior
Saleh Rsheidat: Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
Faris Nabulsi: Deputy Prime Minister- Minister of Justice
Mohammad Halaiqa: Deputy Prime Minister – State Minister for Economic Affairs (of Palestinian origin)
Abdul–Ilah Khateieb: Foreign Minister
Michel Marto: Minister of Finance (of Palestinian origin)
Talib Rifai’: Minister of Information
Wassef Azar: Minister of Trade and Industry
Jawad Hadid: Minister of Planning (of Palestinian origin)
Aqel Biltaji: Minister of tourism and Antiquities (of Palestinian origin)
Mohammad Kalaldeh: Minister of Transportation.
Fawwaz Zubi: Minister of Telecommunications and Post
Wael Sabri: Minister of Energy (of Palestinian origin)
Mahmoud Kayed: Minister of Culture
Tareq Suheimat: Minister of Health
Hosni Abu Gheida: Minister of Public Works and Housing (of Palestinian origin)
Hatem Halawani: Minister of Water (of Palestinian origin)
Abdul–Rahim Okour: Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment (Islamist)
Khalid Touqan: Minister of Education (of Palestinian origin)
Eid Fayez: Minister of Labor
Zuheir Zannouneh – Minister of Agriculture (of Palestinian origin)
Youssef Dalabih: State Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
Tamam Ghoul: Minister of Social Development (of Palestinian origin)
Said Shuqum: Minister of youth
Mohammad Thuneibat: Minister of Administrative Development (Islamist)
Abdul–Salam Abbadi: Minister of Religious Affairs and Awqaf
Deifallah Masaadeh: State Minister of Legal Affairs
Adel Shraideh – State Minister – Albawaba.com
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