Al-Assad outlines reform agenda priorities to the new government

Members of the new government headed by its Prime Minister, Naji Otari took on Saturday the constitutional oath before President Bashar al-Assad at al-Shaab palace.

Later, President al-Assad headed a meeting for the new government through which he congratulated the new cabinet hoping them success in their important missions.

He underlined "the difficult circumstances facing our state and the region as a whole" stressing that "these difficulties should motivate us to raise the level of our work and to act in line with the national duty."

President al-Assad stressed that fulfilling people's aspirations is on the top of the government's duties.

Concerning the administrative reform, al-Assad stressed the necessity for combating corruption through clear work mechanisms.

He underlined the importance of adopting scientific basis in choosing the qualified persons and giving jobs and promotions based on merit.

He indicated the importance of developing the judicial authority and providing it with qualified and honest persons in order to be able to perform its role of realizing justice in the society asserting that honest judiciary is the basis of the lawful state.

He stressed the necessity for the coordination among the ministries asserting the importance of courage, objectivity and morality to hold bureaucracy accountable and to respond to the citizens' requests.

President al-Assad pointed out that improving the standards of life and developing the industrial sectors which depend on local raw materials should be on the top of the new government's missions stressing the importance of putting a Syrian investment plan and underlining the importance of the banking, agricultural and services sectors.