Council of Ministers (Syria)

The Cabinet of Syria (Arabic: مجلس وزراء سوريا, majlis wuzara' suria) or Council of Ministers is the chief executive body of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Council of Ministers of the Syrian Arab Republic
مجلس وزراء الجمهورية العربية السورية
Map
Overview
Established1930 (Constitution of Syria)
StateSyrian Arab Republic
LeaderPrime Minister
Appointed byPresident
Ministries30
Responsible toPeople's Assembly and the President
HeadquartersGovernment building, Damascus, Syria
Websitewww.pministry.gov.sy

Cabinet in Constitution edit

According to the Constitution of Syria:[1]

Section 2 The Council of Ministers

Article 118 [Cabinet]
(1) The Cabinet is the state's highest executive and administrative body. It consists of the Prime Minister, his deputies, and the ministers. It supervises the execution of the laws and regulations and the work of the state machinery and institutions.

Appointment, powers and removal edit

Appointment:[2]

  • Appointed by the President

Powers:[2]

  • Implementing state public policy
  • Enforcing laws
  • Supervising government bodies
  • Passing administrative decisions
  • Advising the President

Removal:[2]

  • Upon dismissal by the President
  • Upon submission of resignation to the President
  • Upon removal or resignation of the President
  • Upon a vote of no-confidence by the legislature

Current cabinet edit

President Bashar al-Assad accepted the entire cabinet's resignation after a meeting on 29 March 2011.[3] Al-Assad then appointed outgoing Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari to continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government is appointed.[4] On 3 April 2011, Assad appointed Minister of Agriculture Adel Safar the new Prime Minister.[5] On 6 April 2011, the state-run al-Ekhbariya TV channel said that Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Minister of Defense Dawoud Rajiha, Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs Mohammed Abdul-Sattar Al Sayed, and Minister of Presidential Palace Affairs Mansour Fadlallah Azzam would remain in the new cabinet.[6] On 9 April 2011, DayPress News reported the new cabinet was expected to be announced in the next week.[7] On 14 April 2011, a new cabinet was officially announced.[8][9]

On 9 February 2013, president Assad changed seven ministers in the cabinet.[10] The cabinet reshuffle included the ministries of oil, finance, social affairs, labour, housing, public works and agriculture.[11]

In July 2016 president Assad issued Decree no. 203 for 2016 which listed the new Syrian government.[12]

The first Hussein Arnous government was formed after 2020 Syrian parliamentary election.[13] A new government was formed after 2021 Syrian presidential election under Hussein Arnous.

Office Incumbent Party Since
Prime Minister Hussein Arnous (born 1953) Ba'ath Party 11 June 2020
Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub (born 1952) Ba'ath Party 30 August 2020
Defense Minister Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas (born 1964) Ba'ath Party 28 April 2022
Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Faisal Mekdad (born 1954) Ba'ath Party 22 November 2020
Health Minister Dr. Hassan al-Ghabbash (born 1971) 30 August 2020
Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Minister Mohammed Hassan Qatana[14] (born 1956) 30 August 2020
Electricity Minister Ghassan al-Zamel 30 August 2020
Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Firas Hassan Kaddour[15](born 1962) 29 March 2023
Culture Minister Lubanah Mshaweh[16] (born 1955) 30 August 2020
Information Minister Boutros Al-Hallaq (born 1966) 10 August 2021
Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Minister Dr. Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed (born 1958) Ba'ath Party 8 December 2007
Transport Minister Zouhair Khazim (born 1963) 30 August 2020
Justice Minister Ahmad al-Sayyed (born 1965) 30 August 2020
Industry Minister Abdel Qader Jokhadar (born 1968) 29 March 2023
Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun[17] (born 1957) Ba'ath Party 26 November 2018
Communications and Technology Minister Iyad Mohammad al-Khatib (born 1974)[17] 26 November 2018
Water Resources Minister Hussein Makhlouf[17] (born 1964) Ba'ath Party 13 December 2023
Labor and Social Affairs Minister Louai Emad El-Din al-Munajjid Ba'ath Party 29 March 2023
Public Works and Housing Minister Suhail Mohammad Abdullatif (born 1961)[17] 26 November 2018
Local Administration and Environment Minister Lamia Youssef Shakour[16] (born 1970) 13 December 2023
Education Minister Muhammad Amer Mardini (born 1959) 8 August 2023
Higher Education Minister Bassam Bashir Ibrahim[17] (born 1960) 26 November 2018
Finance Minister Dr. Kenan Yaghi (born 1976) 30 August 2020
Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammad Samer al-Khalil[16] (born 1977) 29 March 2017
Internal Trade and Consumer Protection Minister Dr. Mohsen Abdul Karim Ali (born 1968) 29 March 2023
Tourism Minister Mohammad Rami Radwan Martini[17] (born 1970) 26 November 2018
Administrative Development Minister Salam Mohammad al-Saffaf (born 1979) 29 March 2017
Minister of State for Investment Affairs and Vital Projects Ahmed Mohammad Bustaji Syrian Communist Party (Unified) 29 March 2023
Minister of State for People's Assembly Affairs Abdullah Sallum Abdullah (born 1956) Socialist Unionist Party 10 August 2021
Minister of State for Southern Development Affairs Dr. Diala Barakat (born 1980) Syrian Social Nationalist Party 10 August 2021

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "English Translation of the Syrian Constitution". Qordoba. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Constitutional history of Syria". constitutionniet.org. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  3. ^ Agencies (29 March 2011). "Syrian cabinet resigns as regime seeks to calm protests". the Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Syrian cabinet resigns amid unrest, says state TV". BBC News. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  5. ^ President al-Assad appointed Adel Safar as New PM Archived 14 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine, DayPress News, 4 April 2011
  6. ^ Syrian PM-designate starts consultations to form new cabinet, Xinhua, 6 April 2011
  7. ^ Safar continues Government-Formation[permanent dead link], SANA, DayPress News, 9 April 2011
  8. ^ Syrian new Cabinet, DayPress News, 14 April 2011
  9. ^ Sands, Phil (15 April 2011). "Syria president appoints new government, orders protesters freed from jail". The National. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Cabinet Shift Within Syria Seems Aimed at Economy". The New York Times. Associated Press. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  11. ^ "Syrian president reshuffles economic Cabinet posts". Al Jazeera. Associated Press. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  12. ^ "President al-Assad issues Decree no. 203 forming the new Syrian government 3 July 2016". SANA. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  13. ^ AFP, French Press Agency- (30 August 2020). "Syria's Assad designates new government headed by PM Arnous". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  14. ^ "من هو وزير الزراعة الجديد محمد حسان قطنا ؟". تلفزيون الخبر ::اخبار سوريا (in Arabic). 30 August 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  15. ^ "من هو وزير النفط والثروة المعدنية الجديد بسام طعمة ؟ | تلفزيون الخبر ::اخبار سوريا::". alkhabar-sy.com. 31 August 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  16. ^ a b c ""New Syrian Government Formed". Syria Times. 3 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "President al-Assad issues cabinet reshuffle decree". SANA. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.

External links edit