Amman-Abu al-Ragheb resigns, al-Fayez forms the new government
Jordan, Politics, 10/21/2003

A high ranking Jordanian official stressed that the Jordanian King Abdullah II will assign on Thursday the royal court minister Faisal al-Fayez as a new prime minister to replace the current prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb who assumes this post since June 2000.

A prominent Jordanian politicians said that "Abul Ragheb submitted his resignation to his majesty the King who is expected to accept it shortly.. may be on Thursday." No reasons were given for Abul Ragheb's resignation.

Abul Ragheb's government, however, has been exposed to accusations by its opponents of liberals, Islamists and conservatives to that it includes among its members corrupted ministers. The government was also accused of imposing tough measures against public freedoms, measures justified by the authorities as for security considerations.

A high ranking Jordanian official said that "King Abdullah II will assign Faisal al-Fayez officially the post of the prime minister on Thursday and the latter will start consultations to choose his new government which will be composed of 20 ministers as the maximum, instead of the 29 ministers in the current government." The official explained that the designated prime minister will be meeting after that in the presence of the King with several figures nominated for ministerial posts in the context of efforts to form the government within two days. A government which pursues a "new line" that permits the implementation of the King's vision on modernizing the country.

The Jordanian official added that the ministry of information will be abrogated in the new government which will include "two or three women," while the current government includes only one minister. He added that the "ministers who will join the government will be chosen on the ground of their efficiency and work-plan, rather than "geographical affiliation," as used to be a common practice in Jordan.

Al-Fayez is 51 year old. He studied in Britain and has a Masters Degree in International Relations from Boston University, He is from Bani Sakher tribe, one of the largest tribes in Jordan. He was appointed as a royal court minister in March this year after he had been a chief for the King's royal protocol department since 1999.

Previous Stories:
  King Abdullah: American policy is Naive; Jordan working behind the scene for settlement   (10/9/2003)
  Al-Rai: Jordan: the decision to freeze Hamas assets was an administrative mistake   (10/9/2003)
  Chirac meets King Abdullah in Paris   (10/2/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search