New Cabinet Changes To The Rifai Government

Like a leaky boat, information on the new cabinet changes to Samir Rifai’s government have spilling out, specifically on electronic news sites, which seem to be beating mainstream media to the punch once again. According to Ammon, the changes include seven ministerial replacements as follows:

Minister of Education & Deputy Prime Minister: Dr. Khaled Karaki

Minister of Justice: Hisham Al Tal

Minister of Tourism: Suzan Afaneh

Minister of State: Suheir Ali

Minister of Media: Ali Al Ayed

Minister of Agriculture: Mazen Al Khasawneh

Minister of Labor: Sameer Murad

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs: Tawfeeq Kreeshan

Minister of State for Prime Ministry & Judicial Affairs: Dr. Ibrahim Amoush

Meanwhile, it was also reported that Dr. Omar Razzaz of Social Security was replaced by Dr. Maen Nsour earlier this morning. I have no immediate thoughts on the changes as of yet, as I’m waiting to see the names being confirmed. However, at a first glance one could place this in a certain context. A rising Jordanian nationalist sentiment, to say nothing of increased tribalism chatter unfolding on the streets, and an upcoming parliamentary elections that is likely to swing swiftly in that direction, to say nothing of the Jordanian good will tour the government has been on this summer initiated promptly after HM King Abdullah’s speech to the army. Moreover, the trouble that has loomed over some of these ministries, including Jordanian teachers (of the nationalist kind) facing off with the Ministry of Education, and the corruption charges at the Ministry of Agriculture. These are just some of the elements at play, and might help shed some light on the names suggested above – especially when one considers what influence these factors might have on the elections.

16 Comments

  • Always premature changes. They neither respect ministers nor do they give them enough time to prove themselves. They talk about openness while cabinet changes come with no explanations whatsoever.

    At least mention why you’re sacking the ministers out of respect to citizens.

    Cabinets are meant to last as long as the government lasts and what they’re doing is not right IMO.

  • @Yanal: “At least mention why you’re sacking the ministers out of respect to citizens. ”
    But in many cases, they are sacking the ministers out of respect to some citizens (or citizen pressure).

    Although I for one am troubled by the change of the minister of education. I am not familiar with Khaled Karaki, but I personally would’ve liked to see the previous minister complete a more proper term. While I’m not opinionated on the conflict with the teachers, I was very much pro the ministry’s actions when the IAF was complaining.

    But otherwise, seeing changes in some cabinet members as well as modifications to the entire cabinets are not uncommon, and can be seen in most if not all democracies and autocracies.

  • ya that was a new low: a TV newsreader becomes the Minister of Tourism !!! and you still think there is hope in this god-forsaken country…

  • BUT its clear from looking at the Surnames of those who were sacked out of a job – Razzaz, Oudeh , Masri , Shareef etc. and those coming in – Karaki, Khasawneh, Nsour and Kreshan the REAL reason behind the change, its definitly not competence….

  • Behold the magic of the Veterans, Teachers and Judges. Another victory to the New Jordanian National Movement .. Long Live Jordan .. Long Live The King.

  • A hardcore victory indeed putting a news presenter as Minister of the second most important sector to the economy, i strongly suggest the PM’s personal fitness instructor to become Minister of Health next..

  • On Suzy Afaneh, I am not sure how media is not related to tourism? The minister will not run the ministry by herself, she will set strategies and monitor performance. I don’t know Miss Afaneh, but media and tourism are very intertwined. My two cents.

    But minister of state? Seriously? What does a minister of state do?

  • But otherwise, seeing changes in some cabinet members as well as modifications to the entire cabinets are not uncommon, and can be seen in most if not all democracies and autocracies.

    lol come on man, anyone can see that this happens far more often in Jordan than in other countries. The average turnover for a minister in Jordan is what .. a year or a year and a half?

  • @Hamzeh: sure, but the low average turnover is mostly due to the fact that the average turnover of a typical Jordanian Government (a.k.a entire cabinet) is rather quick. Cabinet changes within the lifecycle of a single government under the same head of government, however, are not really excessive.

    And the reason I bring this distinction is because there IS a distinction, it /is/ a problem that the average lifecycle of a head of government in Jordan is short, and more so that heads of government are often “recycled”, contributing to the observation that there is a lack of change or motion in a given direction. Howeve,r under the same head of governemnt, shuffling cabinets can be a healthy sign of internal accountability, self-assessment, etc.

  • Can someone explain any of the brochure talk below in layman terms?

    عمون – اعلن مكتب رئيس الوزراء ان مسؤوليات منصب وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء الذي استحدث في التعديل الوزاري ستشمل توفير الدعم والتخطيط الاستراتيجي ووضع الاولويات فيما يتعلق بالمواءمة بين القضايا والقرارات التي تعرض على المجلس وتنفيذ الخطة الحكومية والمحاور الاستراتيجية السبعة الواردة في برنامج عمل الحكومة من خلال التنسيق مع الوزارات كافة .

    وسيضطلع وزير الدولة لشؤون مجلس الوزراء بالشؤون المتعلقة بمأسسة وتعزيز آلية القرار في مجلس الوزراء وتحديد اولويات المواضيع المدرجة على اجندة المجلس ومتابعة تنفيذ القرارات المتعلقة بها ، كما سيشكل الوزير وفق هذه المهام حلقة وصل قوية بين السياسات والممارسات ، الامر الذي سيسهم في تحقيق نتائج ملموسة لتنفيذ البرامج والمشاريع الحكومية .

  • and NO info on university degrees!!

    سوزان عفانة
    تمتلك عفانة خبرة تزيد عن 19عاما في مجال العمل الاعلامي عملت خلالها مع عدد من القنوات الفضائية المحلية والعالمية ضمّت التلفزيون الأردني، وقناة الـ«إم بي سي» والـ«سي إن إن».
    وبدأت عفانة عملها كصحافية ومذيعة للأخبار في التلفزيون الأردني في العام 1991. وخلال عملها كمراسلة سياسية، تنقلت عفانة بين العديد من عواصم العالم لتغطية الأخبار لاسيّما فيما يتعلق بعملية السلام في الشرق الأوسط.
    تبوأت منصب رئيس تحرير الأخبار في التلفزيون الأردني لتشغل بعدها بفترة قصيرة وهي لم تتجاوز الـ29 عاما، منصب مدير عام القناة الفضائية الأردنية لتكون أول إمرأة في الوطن العربي تتولى هذه المهام في مثل هذا العمر.
    وخلال عملها كمراسلة تلفزيونية، عملت عفانة في قناة «سي إن إن» الدولية، حيث شاركت في برنامج «التقرير العالمي الحائز على جائزة «إيمي». وحازت على جائزة «أفضل تقرير سياسي» للعام 2000.
    كلفت جلالة الملكة رانيا العبد الله، عفانة، في العام 2002 من بين نخبة من السيدات الأردنيات، لتكون عضوا في اللجنة التنفيذية لقمة المرأة العربية، حيث ساهمت في إنشاء شبكة الاعلام العربية.
    كانت تشغل عفانة منصب نائب الرئيس التنفيذي للإتصال والمعلومات والمسؤولة الاجتماعية في شركة زين، كبرى شركات الاتصالات الخلوية في المملكة.
    وتولت عفانة كذلك منصب نائب رئيس مجلس إدارة مؤسسة الاذاعة والتلفزيون الأردنية كما أنها عضو في مؤتمر القيادات العربية الشابة وعضو مجلس إدارة المعهد الاردني للاعلام، و عضو مجلس إدارة مؤسسة نهر الأردن و إنتاج.
    وكانت آخر وظيفة لعفانة نائبا للرئيس التنفيذي للإتصال والمعلومات والمسؤولية الاجتماعية في شركة زين
    عفانة متزوجة و لديها 3 أبناء

  • الى متى سنبقى مثل العنزه التائه ØŒ لقد أحتقرونا لزمنأ طويل هذه الحكومه تفتقد لمصداقيه مثل كل الحكومات السابقه ،لقد أبديت رأي في السابق وها أنا أبدي برأي مرة أخرى ØŒ حكومات سوف تجلب لكم الويلات والمصائب والتاريخ سوف يثبت ما قلته

  • Well it’s different names, under the same relentless policy will it be any good? Only time will tell.

    Will it be somewhat a “hold em back”/soft containment tactic; as several popular people were assigned to governmental posts and now are totally forgetting their previous opposition views, being more defensive of the government’s actions than the government itself, therefore becoming less popular… let’s hope this is not the case here…

    What is interesting though, is that our new Minister of State for Media and Communication Affairs was formerly the Ambassador of Jordan to Israel. Good luck with that:)

  • ” BUT its clear from looking at the Surnames of those who were sacked out of a job – Razzaz, Oudeh , Masri , Shareef etc. and those coming in – Karaki, Khasawneh, Nsour and Kreshan the REAL reason behind the change, its definitly not competence….”

    do i smell a bitter “Jordanian of “other” decent” in our midst oh “Londoner”. Actually Dr. Khaled Al Karaki is a highly qualified person and is very competent.

  • omar razzaz was always the right man for the job. he is an amazing man and it hurts jordan to see him leave. no one could do what he has done for our country.

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