Beirut – The prime minister of Lebanon, Hassan Diab (pictured, right) has announced this Tuesday (21) the new government, National News Agency (NNA) reported. The list of twenty ministries has been made public and features Zeina Akar as vice prime minister as well as National Defense minister. NNA quoted Diab as saying that this is the first time a woman occupy the position.
Lebanese president Micheal Aoun (pictured, left) met with Diab and signed the cabinet list. Lebanon has faced an economic crisis as well as a series of street popular protests since last October. Last December, Diab was tasked with appointing a new team after his predecessor Saad Hariri renounced.
“We will endeavor to translate the people’s demands. The new government comprises of qualified professionals and has a balanced representation of women. It is a government of specialists who only work for the sake of the country; a government that is not affected by politics and its struggles. It is a government of young men and women who are looking for a promising future in their homeland,” Diab was quoted as saying in NNA.
Diab tried to emphasize the specialized roles the ministers must fulfill and dispel the notion of political involvement from his team. Asked about a new election law, he stressed he will study the possibility, and “after the cabinet’s approval, it will be forwarded to the house of parliament for legislation, after which we will hold elections.”
Regarding economic policies to addressing the monetary and financial crisis in Lebanon, Diab explained that a committee of ministers has been tasked to deal with the situation.
The announced cabinet includes Nassif Hitti as Foreign and Emigrants minister, Ghazi Wazni as Finance minister, Mohammad Fahmi as Interior and Municipalities minister, Raymond Ghajar as Water and Energy minister, Talal Hawwat as Telecom minister, Raoul Nehme as Economy and Trade Minister, Marie-Claude Najm as Justice minister, Michael Najjar as Public Works and Transportation minister, Imad Hoballah as Industry minister, Hamad Hassan as Public Health minister, Abbas Mortada as Agriculture and Culture minister, Lamia Yammine as Labor minister, Tarek Al-Majzoub as National Education minister, Manal Abdel-Samad as Information minister, Ramzi Mousharaffieh as Tourism and Social Affairs minister, Ghada Shreim as minister for the Displaced, Damianos Kattar as Environment and Administrative Development minister, and Vartini Ohanian as Youth and Sports minister.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda