Jordan reshuffles six cabinet positions
Foreign and interior ministers replaced amid public anger over economic woes and handling of security after ISIL attack
AMMAN // Jordan’s King Abdullah yesterday approved a reshuffle of the country’s cabinet amid rising public anger against the economic downturn and security challenges.
Six portfolios were affected, including that of foreign minister and interior minister.
Nasser Judeh, the foreign minister since 2009, was replaced by Ayman Al Safadi, a former deputy prime minister and former chief executive of Abu Dhabi Media. Mr Al Safadi has close ties to GCC states.
Interior minister Salameh Hammad, who had faced criticism for his handling of the terrorist attacks in Karak last month, was replaced by Ghaleb Zohbi, a lawyer and former police chief who previously held the post.
Prime minister Hani Al Mulki was appointed by King Abdullah last May to pursue political reforms and revamp Jordan’s sluggish economy. He oversaw a cabinet reshuffle last September.
But analysts say Mr Al Mulki’s cabinet has been plagued by internal rivalries and the lack of harmony hampered coordination, particularly on security issues that emerged after ISIL-claimed attacks in Karak last month that killed 10 people, mostly members of the security forces. Four policemen were killed in a firefight in Karak two days later during a hunt for suspects.
Last month, 48 parliamentarians signed a memorandum demanding a no- confidence vote against Mr Hammad over his alleged mishandling of Jordan’s security.
As he was expected to survive the vote, the government asked parliament to delay it until yesterday to coincide with the government reshuffle. Yesterday was also the deadline to submit the motion of no confidence.
“The prime minister is aware that the interior minister is powerful and that he was ex- pected to pass the no- confidence vote, which would have made it difficult to oust him in the reshuffle,” said Mohammad Hussainy, the head of Identity Centre, a civil society organisation that works on electoral issues.
“The reshuffle was needed as a result of the lack of harmony among ministers and the disputes that erupted, which hampered the government’s work. Now the premier will not have an excuse to say that the ministers cannot work together. He will be held accountable.”
Finance minister Omar Malhas kept his job in the reshuffle as the government moves to curb spending and generate revenue of 450 million Jordanian dinars (Dh2.33 billion) for this year as part of a three-year deal agreed with the International Monetary Fund last August.
The deal aims to cut public debt from about 95 per cent of GDP to 77 per cent by 2021. The reshuffle was widely viewed as a move to placate the public before expected tax increases. In the past few years, Jordan’s economic growth has been affected by the spillover of violence from Syria and Iraq, which has cut off key trade routes, shaken investor confidence and damaged the tourism sector.
In the first six months of last year, the economy grew 2.1 per cent, down from a 2.2 per cent expansion in the first half of 2015, the World Bank said.
Despite the changes, critics were not optimistic. “Nothing will change at the end. The cabinet reshuffle is only a change of persons and not strategies,” said Amer Sabaileh, director of a think tank in Amman. “As long as the prime minister remains in his position, the new government will have nothing to offer. He seems to lack a vision on how to deal with the nation’s challenges, mainly how to spur economic growth and fight radicalisation.”