Jordan: a limited ministerial reshuffle

The Jordanian King Abdullah II on Thursday announced a limited reshuffle in the government of the prime minister Ali Abul Ragheb that aims at giving a new impetus for the government's economic performance, according to Jordanian official news.

Four new minister took the constitutional oath before King Abdullah while other four ministers left the government in the framework of the reshuffle which did not target main ministerial posts.

The secretary general of the ministry of trade and industry Samer al-Tawil was appointed as a minister for national economy instead of Muhammad al-Haleyqa, over whom Jordanian officials said that he has been margined in his post since several months because of differences between him and the prime minister concerning certain policies.

Meantime, a woman, Rweida al-Mayeita, the chairperson of the Hashimite (governmental) university assumed the post of the minister of social development instead of Tammam al-Foul, the only woman in the current Jordanian government.

The post of the health minister was taken by Walid al-Maani who was the minister of higher education instead of Faleh al-Naser, while the post of the higher education ministry was assigned to the former minister Muhammad Hamdam, and the ministry of agriculture to member of the Jordanian al-Ayan council (upper house) Tarrad al-Fayez instead of Mahmoud al-Dweiri.

The minister of justice Fares al-Nabulsi was appointed as a deputy premier so as to be the only member in the government to acquire this post.