Hariri announces new Lebanese government, 30 ministers, 14 are new
The new Lebanese government was announced on Thursday chaired by prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.The government includes 30 ministers, including 14 who joined the government for the first time.
The new government also included seven ministers of state including one minister for administrative reforms affairs.
It is scheduled that the Lebanese Cabinet will meet today at 10 a.m. (Lebanon's Local time) to discuss the ministerial statement.
The new Lebanese government includes 30 ministers four were in the government of the resigned government of al-Hoss and other 12 occupied ministerial posts in previous governments and some 14 minister have joined the government for the first time.
The new government was formed from various political and parliamentary activists and social and economic figures. It includes 18 members of parliament and 12 ministers from outside the parliament. Various political parties were represented in this government, including the Baath Arab Socialist party; the Progressive Socialist party, the Social Nationalist Syrian party, the Armenian al- Tashnaq party and the Amal movement.
The government includes seven ministers of state including one minister of state for administrative reforms affairs.
The ministers age ranged between 35 year old ( Suleiman Franjieh) and George Afram (66).
After the declaration of the new government the prime minister al-Hariri stressed that his government came as a result of parliamentary consultation he had held and the cooperation between him and President Emil Lahoud.
Al-Hariri added that the government is a reflection to the will of the people expressed by member of the parliament, noting it represents two fundamental issues, the question of national reconciliation which was taken into account and the economic growth question because Lebanon is facing an economic bottleneck needed to be solve.
Al-Hariri vowed that the new government will work for dealing with problems the Lebanese people suffer. He described his government as the government of reconciliation and growth and he hoped to maintain solidarity among members of the government in collaboration with President Lahoud in order to withstand heavy challenges facing Lebanon.
The following are the names of the new ministers: 1- Rafiq al-Hariri the prime minister, 2.Isam Fares the deputy prime minister, 3- Bahij Tayyara minister of state, 4- Pierre Helou minister of state, 5- Marwan Hammadi minister of the displaced,6- George Afram the minister of industry; 7- Muhammad Abdul Hameed Beuydoun the minister of energy and waters, 8- Talal Arsalan minister of state, 9- Suleiman Franjieh minister of health, 10- Asaad Diab minister of social affairs, 11- Beshara Murhij minister of state; 12- Fuad al-Sanyoura the minister of finance, 13- Abdul Rahim Murad the minister of education and higher education; 14- Michael Mousa the minister of the environment, 15- Karam Karam the minister of Tourism, 16- Muhammad Najib Meiqati the minister of public works and transport, 17- Fuad al-Saad the minister for administrative reforms, 18- Sebouh Hofnanian minister of youths and sports, 19- Khalil al-Hrawi minister of national defense,20- Michael Faroun the minister of state, 21- Ghazi al-Aridi the minister of information, 22- Bassel Fleihan the minister of the economy and trade, 23- Mahmoud Hammoud the minister of foreign affairs and the expatriates, 24- Samir al-Jesr the minister of justice, 25- Nazih Habib Beydoun minister of state, 26- Ali Qansou minister of Labor; 27- Ghassan Salamah minister of culture, 28- Elias al-Murr minister of the interior and municipalities, 29- Ali Ajaj Abdullah minister of agriculture and 30- Jan Loi Qirdahi the minister of telecommunications.