Omar Razzaz's cabinet

This article lists the members of prime minister Omar Razzaz's cabinet. Razzaz assumed office on 4 June 2018. He was sworn in along with his cabinet on 14 June 2018.

Omar Razzaz's cabinet of ministers is composed of 28 ministers.[1] The cabinet was formed throughout the first half of June 2018 following the resignation of the previous prime minister Hani Mulki, and officially sworn in on 14 June following a royal decree. Mulki's resignation was a result of widespread protests, which started on 30 May and were ignited by the proposed income tax bill. The new government has declared that the bill will be withdrawn from Parliament for further discussion.

Razzaz's cabinet was met with criticism due to the fact that 16 of 28 ministers remain unchanged from the preceding cabinet. Nevertheless, the cabinet holds 7 women, which is the largest representation of women that the country has seen.[2]

On 20 June 2018, another royal decree was issued ordering the Jordanian Parliament to reconvene on 9 July for a special session so the new government can present its policy statement, which is required before a House vote of confidence can take place.[3] On 9 July, the policy statement was delivered before the lower house of parliament.[4] The Razzaz government became official after it secured the required vote of confidence in the lower house on 19 July.[5] On 10 October, Razzaz reshuffled his cabinet, merged a few ministries, and created one new ministry. Eight ministers were approved by royal decree on 11 October.[6]

Cabinet Reshuffles

First cabinet: 20 June 2018 – 10 October 2018

Razzaz's first cabinet members were appointed in June 2018. 16 out of 28 ministers remained unchanged from Hani Mulki's government.

Portrait Name Role[7] Preceded by[8] Comments
Omar Razzaz Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence Hani Mulki
Rajai Muasher Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of State Jamal Sarayrah
Ayman Safadi Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Unchanged
Adel Tweisi Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Unchanged
Hala Lattouf Minister of Social Development Unchanged
Musa Maaytah Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs Unchanged
Samir Murad Minister of Labour Unchanged
Mahmoud Sheyyab Minister of Health Unchanged
Yahya Kisbi Minister of Public Works and Housing Sami Halasa
Nayef Al-Fayez Minister of the Environment Unchanged
Walid Masri Minister of Transportation, and Minister of Municipal Affairs Unchanged
Majd Shweikeh Minister of Public Sector Development Unchanged Was also minister of ICT under Hani Mulki's government
Lina Annab Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Unchanged
Khaled Musa Al Henefat Minister of Agriculture Unchanged
Awad Abu Jarad Minister of Justice Unchanged
Muhannad Shehadeh Minister of State for Investment Affairs Unchanged
Samir Mubaidin Minister of Interior Unchanged
Abdul Nasser Abul Bassal Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Unchanged
Ezzedin Kanakrieh Minister of Finance Omar Malhas
Munir Oweiss Minister of Water and Irrigation Ali Ghazzawi
Azmi Mahafzeh Minister of Education Omar Razzaz
Makram Mustafa Queisi Minister of Youth Bashir Rawashdeh
Mubarak Abu Yamin Minister of State for Legal Affairs Ahmad Oweidi
Tareq Hammouri Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah
Jumana Ghunaimat Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani
Hala Zawati Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabseh
Mary Kawar Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury
Saif Nsour Minister of Culture Nabih Shuqum
Mothanna Gharaibeh Minister of Information and Communications Technology Majd Shweikeh

Criticism

Razzaz has received criticism from the public for having kept more than half of the ministers from the previous cabinet, and for not having included younger people.[2]

First reshuffle: 10 October 2018 – 1 November 2018

On Wednesday 10 October 2018, most ministers submitted their resignations as part of Razzaz's plan to reshuffle ministers, merge a few ministries, and create a new ministry.[6] On Thursday 11 October 2018, a royal decree was issued approving the cabinet reshuffle.[9][10]

Name Role Comments
Omar Razzaz Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense
Rajai Muasher Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs
Majd Shweikeh Minister of State for Administrative and Institutional Development New ministry
Muhannad Shehadeh Minister of State for Investment Affairs
Mubarak Abu Yamin Minister of State for Legal Affairs
Jumana Ghunaimat Minister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson
Abdulnasser Abu El-Bassal Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places
Mohammad Abu Rumman Minister of Culture and Youth Merged, previous: Basma Nsour (Culture), Makram Mustafa Queisi (Youth)
Azmi Mahafzeh Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Merged, previous: Adel Tweisi (Higher Education and Scientific Research)
Hala Zawati Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Ibrahim Shahahdeh Minister of Environment and Agriculture Merged, previous: Nayef Al-Fayez (Environment), Khaled Hneifat (Agriculture)
Ezzedin Kanakrieh Minister of Finance
Ayman Safadi Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs
Ghazi Zaben Minister of Health Previous: Mahmoud Sheyyab
Tareq Hammouri Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply
Mothanna Gharaibeh Minister of Information and Communications Technology
Samir Mubaidin Minister of Interior
Bassam Talhouni Minister of Justice Previous: Awad Abu Jarad
Samir Murad Minister of Labour
Mary Kawar Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
Musa Maaytah Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs
Falah Amoush Minister of Public Works and Housing Previous: Yahya Kisbi
Basma Isshaqat Minister of Social Development Previous: Hala Lattouf
Lina Annab Minister of Tourism and Antiquities
Walid Masri Minister of Transportation, and Minister of Municipal Affairs
Raed Abu Soud Minister of Water and Irrigation Previous: Munir Oweiss

Dead Sea Flash Floods

As a result of the catastrophe which took place in the Dead Sea due to flash rains and claimed the lives of 21 people of which 18 schoolchildren, two ministers submitted their resignations on 1 November 2018: Lina Annab – Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Azmi Mahafzeh – Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research.[11] On 22 January 2019, their replacements were announced among a minor cabinet reshuffle. Walid Maani was appointed as Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education, Walid Masri as Minister of Municipal Affairs, Majd Shweikeh as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Anmar Khasawneh as Minister of Transport.

Second reshuffle: November 2019

This Cabinet reshuffle in Razzaz’s government is the fourth in one year after similar reshuffles took place in May and January 2019 and in October 2018. Nine new ministers were sworn in.

A Royal Decree has also been issued accepting the resignation of the following, as of 7 November 2019: Rajai Muasher as deputy prime minister and minister of state, Abdul Nasser Abul Basal as minister of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, Ezzeddine Kanakrieh as minister of finance and Jumana Ghunaimat as minister of state for media affairs, Ibrahim Shahahdeh as minister of agriculture and minister of environment, Anmar Khasawneh as minister of transport, Mohammad Abu Rumman as minister of culture and minister of youth and Mohamad Al-Ississ as minister of planning and international cooperation and minister of state for economic affairs.[12]

Name Role Comments
Omar Razzaz Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense
Ayman Safadi Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs
Musa Maaytah Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs
Nidal Bataineh Minister of Labour
Walid Masri Minister of Local Administration
Yasera Ghosheh Minister of State for Institutional Performance Development
Sami Daoud Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs
Wissam Rabadi Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Previous: Mohamad Al-Ississ
Salameh Hammad Minister of Interior
Mohammad Khalaileh Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Previous: Abdul Nasser Abul Bassal
Mohamad Al-Ississ Minister of Finance Previous: Ezzedin Kanakriyah
Mubarak Abu Yamin Minister of State for Legal Affairs
Tareq Hammouri Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply
Amjad Adaileh Minister of State for Media Affairs Previous: Jumana Ghunaimat
Hala Zawati Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Majd Shweikeh Minister of State for Administrative and Institutional Development
Mothanna Gharaibeh Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship
Raed Abu Soud Minister of Water and Irrigation
Bassam Talhouni Minister of Justice
Majd Shweikeh Minister of Tourism and Antiquities
Falah Amoush Minister of Public Works and Housing
Basma Isshaqat Minister of Social Development
Saad Jaber Minister of Health
Ibrahim Shahahdeh Minister of Agriculture Split, previous: Ibrahim Shahahdeh (Environment and Agriculture)
Saleh Kharabsheh Minister of Environment
Basim Tweissi Minister of Culture Split, previous: Mohammad Abu Rumman (Culture and Youth)
Fares Braizat Minister of Youth
Muhyiddine Touq Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Split, previous: Walid Maani (Education and Higher Education)
Tayseer Nueimi Minister of Education
Khalid Saif Minister of Transport Previous: Anmar Khasawneh

See also

References

  1. ^ "PM Razzaz Announces Gov't Formation, Royal Decree Ratifies". جريدة الغد (in Arabic). Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  2. ^ a b "New Jordanian cabinet has fresh faces but same old problems". The National. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Parliament extraordinary session to open next month". 20 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Jordan News Agency (Petra) |Razzaz presents government policy statement .... 5th LD". Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  5. ^ JT (20 July 2018). "Razzaz government wins vote of confidence after marathon debate". The Jordan Times. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b "تعديل وزاري في الأردن يشمل 8 "حقائب"". سكاي نيوز عربية (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  7. ^ "New government sworn in". Jordan Times. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  8. ^ "New ministers take oath as Mulki reshuffles team". Jordan Times. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  9. ^ "موقع خبرني : الوزراء الجدد – أسماء". موقع خبرني (in Arabic). Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  10. ^ "New ministers take oath as Razzaz reshuffles team". Jordan Times. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Jordanian education and tourism ministers resign over Dead Sea disaster". Arab News. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Royal Decree approves reshuffle as Cabinet sees nine new ministers". Jordan Times. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
Preceded by Cabinet of Jordan
June 2018–2020
Succeeded by