Omar Razzaz's cabinet


This article lists the members of prime minister Omar Razzaz's cabinet. Razzaz assumed office on 4 June 2018. He was sworn in along with his cabinet on 14 June 2018.
Omar Razzaz's cabinet of ministers is composed of 28 ministers. The cabinet was formed throughout the first half of June 2018 following the resignation of the previous prime minister Hani Mulki, and officially sworn in on 14 June following a royal decree. Mulki's resignation was a result of widespread protests, which started on the 30th of May and were ignited by the proposed income tax bill. The new government has declared that the bill will be withdrawn from Parliament for further discussion.
Razzaz's cabinet was met with criticism due to the fact that 16 of 28 ministers remain unchanged from the preceding cabinet. Nevertheless, the cabinet holds 7 women, which is the largest representation of women that the country has seen.
On 20 June 2018, another royal decree was issued ordering the Jordanian Parliament to reconvene on 9 July for a special session so the new government can present its policy statement, which is required before a House vote of confidence can take place. On 9 July, the policy statement was delivered before the lower house of parliament. The Razzaz government became official after it secured the required vote of confidence in the lower house on 19 July. On 10 October, Razzaz reshuffled his cabinet, merged a few ministries, and created one new ministry. Eight ministers were approved by royal decree on 11 October.

Cabinet Reshuffles

First cabinet: 20 June 2018 – 10 October 2018

Razzaz's first cabinet members were appointed in June 2018. 16 out of 28 ministers remained unchanged from Hani Mulki's government.
NameRolePreceded byComments
Omar RazzazPrime Minister, and Minister of DefenceHani Mulki
Rajai MuasherDeputy Prime Minister, and Minister of StateJamal Sarayrah
Ayman SafadiMinister of Foreign and Expatriate AffairsUnchanged
Adel TweisiMinister of Higher Education and Scientific ResearchUnchanged
Hala LattoufMinister of Social DevelopmentUnchanged
Musa MaaytahMinister of Political and Parliamentary AffairsUnchanged
Samir MuradMinister of LabourUnchanged
Mahmoud SheyyabMinister of HealthUnchanged
Yahya KisbiMinister of Public Works and HousingSami Halasa
Nayef Al-FayezMinister of the EnvironmentUnchanged
Walid MasriMinister of Transportation, and Minister of Municipal AffairsUnchanged
Majd ShweikehMinister of Public Sector DevelopmentUnchangedWas also minister of ICT under Hani Mulki's government
Lina AnnabMinister of Tourism and AntiquitiesUnchanged
Khaled HneifatMinister of AgricultureUnchanged
Awad Abu JaradMinister of JusticeUnchanged
Muhannad ShehadehMinister of State for Investment AffairsUnchanged
Samir MubaidinMinister of InteriorUnchanged
Abdul Nasser Abul BassalMinister of Awqaf and Islamic AffairsUnchanged
Ezzedin KanakriehMinister of FinanceOmar Malhas
Munir OweissMinister of Water and IrrigationAli Ghazzawi
Azmi MahafzehMinister of EducationOmar Razzaz
Makram Mustafa QueisiMinister of YouthBashir Rawashdeh
Mubarak Abu YaminMinister of State for Legal AffairsAhmad Oweidi
Tareq HammouriMinister of Industry, Trade and SupplyYarub Qudah
Jumana GhunaimatMinister of State for Media Affairs and Government SpokespersonMohammad Momani
Hala ZawatiMinister of Energy and Mineral ResourcesSaleh Kharabseh
Mary KawarMinister of Planning and International CooperationImad Fakhoury
Basma NsourMinister of CultureNabih Shuqum
Mothanna GharaibehMinister of Information and Communications TechnologyMajd Shweikeh

Criticism

Razzaz has received criticism from the public for having kept more than half of the ministers from the previous cabinet, and for not having included younger people.

First reshuffle: 10 October 2018 – 1 November 2018

On Wednesday 10 October 2018, most ministers submitted their resignations as part of Razzaz's plan to reshuffle ministers, merge a few ministries, and create a new ministry. On Thursday 11 October 2018, a royal decree was issued approving the cabinet reshuffle.
NameRoleComments
Omar RazzazPrime Minister, and Minister of Defense
Rajai MuasherDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs
Majd ShweikehMinister of State for Administrative and Institutional DevelopmentNew ministry
Muhannad ShehadehMinister of State for Investment Affairs
Mubarak Abu YaminMinister of State for Legal Affairs
Jumana GhunaimatMinister of State for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson
Abdulnasser Abu El-BassalMinistry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places
Mohammad Abu RummanMinister of Culture and YouthMerged, previous: Basma Nsour, Makram Mustafa Queisi
Azmi MahafzehMinister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific ResearchMerged, previous: Adel Tweisi
Hala ZawatiMinister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Ibrahim ShahahdehMinister of Environment and AgricultureMerged, previous: Nayef Al-Fayez, Khaled Hneifat
Ezzedin KanakriehMinister of Finance
Ayman SafadiMinister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs
Ghazi ZabenMinister of HealthPrevious: Mahmoud Sheyyab
Tareq HammouriMinister of Industry, Trade and Supply
Mothanna GharaibehMinister of Information and Communications Technology
Samir MubaidinMinister of Interior
Bassam TalhouniMinister of JusticePrevious: Awad Abu Jarad
Samir MuradMinister of Labour
Mary KawarMinister of Planning and International Cooperation
Musa MaaytahMinister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs
Falah AmoushMinister of Public Works and HousingPrevious: Yahya Kisbi
Basma IsshaqatMinister of Social DevelopmentPrevious: Hala Lattouf
Lina AnnabMinister of Tourism and Antiquities
Walid MasriMinister of Transportation, and Minister of Municipal Affairs
Raed Abu SoudMinister of Water and IrrigationPrevious: Munir Oweiss

Dead Sea Flash Floods

As a result of the catastrophe which took place in the Dead Sea due to flash rains and claimed the lives of 21 people of which 18 schoolchildren, two ministers submitted their resignations on 1 November 2018 : Lina Annab – Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, and Azmi Mahafzeh – Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research. On 22nd January 2019, their replacements were announced among a minor cabinet reshuffle. Walid Maani was appointed as Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education, Walid Masri as Minister of Municipal Affairs, Majd Shweikeh as Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Anmar Khasawneh as Minister of Transport.

Second reshuffle: November 2019

This Cabinet reshuffle in Razzaz’s government is the fourth in one year after similar reshuffles took place in May and January 2019 and in October 2018. Nine new ministers were sworn in.
A Royal Decree has also been issued accepting the resignation of the following, as of November 7, 2019: Rajai Muasher as deputy prime minister and minister of state, Abdul Nasser Abul Basal as minister of Awqaf and Islamic affairs, Ezzeddine Kanakrieh as minister of finance and Jumana Ghunaimat as minister of state for media affairs, Ibrahim Shahahdeh as minister of agriculture and minister of environment, Anmar Khasawneh as minister of transport, Mohammad Abu Rumman as minister of culture and minister of youth and Mohamad Al-Ississ as minister of planning and international cooperation and minister of state for economic affairs.
NameRoleComments
Omar RazzazPrime Minister, and Minister of Defense
Ayman SafadiMinister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs
Musa MaaytahMinister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs
Nidal BatainehMinister of Labour
Walid MasriMinister of Local Administration
Yasera GhoshehMinister of State for Institutional Performance Development
Sami DaoudMinister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs
Wissam RabadiMinister of Planning and International CooperationPrevious: Mohamad Al-Ississ
Salameh HammadMinister of Interior
Mohammad KhalailehMinister of Awqaf and Islamic AffairsPrevious: Abdul Nasser Abul Bassal
Mohamad Al-IssissMinister of FinancePrevious: Ezzedin Kanakriyah
Mubarak Abu YaminMinister of State for Legal Affairs
Tareq HammouriMinister of Industry, Trade and Supply
Amjad AdailehMinister of State for Media AffairsPrevious: Jumana Ghunaimat
Hala ZawatiMinister of Energy and Mineral Resources
Majd ShweikehMinister of State for Administrative and Institutional Development
Mothanna GharaibehMinister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship
Raed Abu SoudMinister of Water and Irrigation
Bassam TalhouniMinister of Justice
Majd ShweikehMinister of Tourism and Antiquities
Falah AmoushMinister of Public Works and Housing
Basma IsshaqatMinister of Social Development
Saad JaberMinister of Health
Ibrahim ShahahdehMinister of AgricultureSplit, previous: Ibrahim Shahahdeh
Saleh KharabshehMinister of EnvironmentSplit, previous: Ibrahim Shahahdeh
Basim TweissiMinister of CultureSplit, previous: Mohammad Abu Rumman
Fares BraizatMinister of YouthSplit, previous: Mohammad Abu Rumman
Muhyiddine TouqMinister of Higher Education and Scientific ResearchSplit, previous: Walid Maani
Tayseer NueimiMinister of EducationSplit, previous: Walid Maani
Khalid SaifMinister of TransportPrevious: Anmar Khasawneh