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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A Royal Decree was issued by King Abdullah II on Wednesday approving the cabinet reshuffle of Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour's government.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour carried out the first reshuffle of his second government during his term in office.

The new cabinet was sworn-in before King Abdullah II on Wednesday afternoon at Raghadan Palace in the Royal Hashemite Court.

Five ministers from Ensour's cabinet were dropped in the new formation, including Minister of Energy Malik Kabariti, Minister of Health Mjalli Mlaihan, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Qudah, Minister of Education Mohammad al-Wahsh, and Minister of Culture Barakat Owjan.

16 new ministers entered the government, and 13 incumbent ministers remained in the cabinet.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour arrived earlier on Wednesday at the Royal Hashemite Court to finalize the new government formation.

Wednesday's cabinet reshuffle is the first in PM Ensour's second government, which was sworn in on March 30th.

King Abdullah II met the outgoing ministers on Wednesday afternoon and expressed appreciation for their efforts while they were in office, Petra reported.

The Ministry of Finance remained the portfolio of Umayya Touqan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs under Nasser Judeh, Ministry of Social Development under Reem Abu Hassan.

The new 27-member cabinet formation includes:



Prime Minister and Minister of Defense: Abdullah Nsour

Minister of Interior: Hussein Hazza' Majali
Minister of Municipal Affairs: Walid al-Masri
Minister of Justice : Bassam al-Talhouni
Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs: Ahmad Nouri Zyadaat
Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Hayel Abdel Hafiz Dawood
Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications: Mohammad Momani
Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs: Khaled Kalaldeh
Minister of Finance: Umayya Touqan
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Affairs : Nasser Judeh
Minister of Industry and Trade, Supply: Hatem Halawani
Minister of Information and Communications Technology: Azzam Talal Salit
Minister of Public Works and Housing: Sami Halaseh
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources: Muhammad Hamed
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Ibrahim Saif
Minister of Health: Ali al-Nahleh Hiasat
Minister of Environment: Taher al-Shakhsheer
Minister of Social Development: Reem Abu Hassan
Minister of Water and Irrigation: Hazem al-Nasser
Minister of Agriculture: Akef al-Zoubi
Minister of Culture: Lana Mamkagh
Minister of Labor and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities: Nidal Qatamin
Minister of Transportation: Lina Shbeib
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research: Amin Mahmoud
Minister of Education: Muhammad Dhneibat
Minister of Public Sector Development: Ekhlaif Khawaldeh
Minister of State: Salameh al-Nu'aimat


Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour's second cabinet was sworn-in on March 30th, a government that included 19 ministers, the least number of ministry portfolios since 1967. 



Ensour's first cabinet included 20 ministers, a cabinet that shrunk from 30 portfolios under Former Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh.

Ensour merged several ministries together in an effort to decrease the number of cabinet members.

No Members of Parliament are included in the new government formation despite intense deliberations with Parliament earlier in the year to form the so-called "Parliamentary Government," called for by King Abdullah II, but Ensour made statements in the past weeks indicating that a government reshuffle will not include any MPs.