| Tuesday, October 13, 2020 3 Profiles of new ministers

Prime Minister Deputy Prime Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Deputy Prime and Minister of Defence Minister and of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister and Minister of Local Minister of State for Born on January 27, 1969, Kha- Administration Safadi, who holds an MA in Interna- Economic Affairs sawneh holds a PhD in law from tional Journalism from Baylor Uni- the London School of Economics. Born in Maan versity in Texas and a BA in English Born in in He also worked as an adviser for in 1947, Kreis- Literature from Yarmouk University, 1946, Toukan ob- policies to His Majesty King Ab- han obtained has edited and written for a number tained his bachelor’s dullah as of August 18, 2020 and his BSc in ac- of newspapers, including The Jordan and master’s degrees adviser to King Abdullah for com- counting and Times and Al Ghad. Since September in business admin- munications and coordination business ad- 2016, he has served as a member of the istration from the between 2019 and 2020 and Jor- m i n i s t r at i o n Tawfiq Kreishan until his appointment as a min- American Univer- Umayya Toukan dan’s permanent representative to from the Arab ister in ’s Cabinet. Between sity of Beirut, a post- UNESCO between 2018 and 2019. University of Beirut in 1972. He 2008 and 2011, Safadi served as adviser to His Majesty graduate diploma in economic develop- Khasawneh was also the King- was a deputy in Jordan’s 12th King Abdullah and as deputy prime minister, minister of ment from Oxford University and a PhD dom’s ambassador to France be- Bisher Al Khasawneh Parliament (1993-1997). Kreishan state and spokesperson for the government. He has also in Finance and Monetary Economy from tween 2018 and 2019 and to served as minister of municipal served as director of communications at the Royal Court Columbia University. Toukan served as between 2012 and 2016, when he minister of state for foreign af- and rural affairs and environment and as press secretary to HRH Prince Hassan. He also Central Bank Governor for two consecu- also was Jordan’s permanent rep- fairs between 2016 and 2017, and in 1994 and in 1997, and was ap- served as director general of the Jordan Radio and Televi- tive terms between 2001 and 2010. He was resentative to the Arab League in minister of state for legal affairs pointed minister of state for par- sion Corporation. He also held the post of foreign minister also Jordan’s ambassador to Belgium, Cairo, in addition to serving as a between 2017 and 2018. liamentary affairs in 2003. in ’s government. Holland and Luxemburg and a senator

Minister of Minister of Minister of Political and Minister of State for Minister of Planning Agriculture Education Parliamentary Affairs Media Affairs and International Cooperation Born in 1947 in Born in Ir- Born in Irbid in 1954, Maay- Born in 1963, in Mar- Al Ruwaished, bid in 1955, tah earned a master’s degree ka, Ayed obtained a Born in Irbid in 1967, D a o u d i y e h N u e i m i in telecom engineering from bachelor’s degree in Shraideh obtained served as the served as the University of Bucharest in law from the Univer- his degrees in eco- Kingdom’s am- m i n i s t e r 1981 and was president of the sity of Jordan in 1985 nomics from Yar- bassador to of educa­ National Federation of Jorda- and a master’s degree mouk University. He Greece in 2005, tion be- nian Students in Romania from in international law has served as envi- and non-resi- tween 2007 1976-1980. Maaytah is one of from the University of ronment minister in dent ambassa- Mohammad Daoudiyeh and 2009. Tayseer Nueimi the founders of the Jordanian Musa Maaytah Edinburgh in 1988. He Ali Al Ayed 2010-2011, secretary Nasser Shraideh dor to Cyprus in He holds a Democratic Socialist Party and joined the Foreign Min- general of the Minis- 2006. He also assumed the post of PhD degree in edu­cation psy- was elected as a member of the party’s political of- istry in 1991 and served as the Kingdom’s try of Planning and International Co- Minister for Political Development chology from the University fice during its first conference. He helped in the es- ambassador to and charge d›affaires operation in 2006, promoted from the and Parliamentary Affairs in 2003- of Pittsburgh, US, in 1986. He tablishment of the United Democratic Party, which in the Jordanian embassy in Washington post of director of the international 2004. He also was Jordan’s ambas- also worked at several univer- was later renamed the Jordanian Left Democratic and Jordan’s embassy in Tel Aviv. He was cooperation department at the minis- sador to Morocco, Portugal, Mauri- sities in Jordan and abroad as Party, and was elected as its secretary general in a member of the Jordanian delegation dur- try. In 2016, he was appointed as the tania and Senegal. Daoudiyeh also assistant, associate and pro- 1996. He served as minister of political develop- ing the Kingdom’s negotiations with Israel chief commissioner of the Aqaba Spe- served as minister of youth in 1996- fessor. Nueimi also served as ment in ’s government and Minister of from 1992 to 1994. Ayed also served as min- cial Economic Zone Authority . 1997, as well a member of the 12th minister of education in Omar Political and Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of ister of media affairs and communications Parliament in 1993-1997. Razzaz’s government. State in Omar Razzaz’s government. in Samir Rifai’s government.

Minister of Public Minister of Tourism Minister of Minister of Minister of Works and Housing and Antiquities State for Prime State for Legal Justice Ministry Affairs Affairs Born in Wadi Seer A graduate of Brigham Young Uni- Born in Am- in 1949, Kisbi has versity, Fayez holds a bachelor’s Born in Amman Born in 1950, man in 1964, a bachelor’s degree degree in political science and a in 1966, Jazi Ziadat holds Talhouni, cur- in civil engineering master’s degree in international re- holds a PhD in a PhD in law rently a sena- from Ankara Univer- lations. He started his professional international law from the Uni- tor, holds a sity and a master’s career at the Royal Court serving from the Univer- versity of PhD from the degree in construc- as assistant chief of Royal Protocol sity of London. London. He University of tion management for His Majesty the late King Hus- He also served as served as Edinburgh, from George Wash- Yahya Kisbi sein and for His Majesty King Ab- Nayef Al Fayez minister of state Ibrahim Jazi minister of Ahmad Ziadat UK. He has Bassam Talhouni ington University in dullah. He also served as the direc- for legal affairs state for the worked as a the US. He joined the Ministry of Pub- tor of HRH Prince Feisal’s office and as the head of Her between 2011 and 2012 and minis- Prime Ministry affairs in 2016. lawyer for more than 20 years and lic Works and Housing as an engineer, Majesty Queen Rania’s Protocol. He served as tourism ter of justice in 2012. Jazi is also an Ziadat worked as assistant pro- served as a legal adviser for sev- and later served as assistant secretary minister in the governments of Awn Khasawneh and international lawyer in general inter- fessor at the University of Jor- eral international organisations. general and minister in one of Abdullah . He has also served as minister of national law and issues related to hu- dan between 1990 and 2003 and He served as minister of justice Ensour’s governments and one of Omar tourism and environment in ’s gov- man rights, the environment law and as associate professor in 2003. in Omar Razzaz’s government. Razzaz’s governments. ernment in 2012. the law of the sea, among others.

Minister of Industry, Minister Minister of Finance Minister of Awqaf Minister of Culture Trade and Supply of Energy and Islamic and Mineral Born in Amman in Affairs Holding a PhD de- Ali, who has been working at the Resources 1977, Al-Ississ holds gree in media stud- Trade Ministry since 1998, was a PhD in economic Born in Zarqa in ies, Tweissi is cur- appointed as secretary general in Z a w a t i development and 1967, Khalaileh rently dean of the 2010. She has a BSc in industrial worked as general politics from was granted a Jordan Media In­ engineering, a trade policy diplo- CEO of the Harvard University. PhD degree in Is- stitute and before ma from the World Trade Organi- Jordan Strat- He served as minis- lamic fiqh (Islamic served as deputy di- sation (WTO) and an MBA from egy Forum ter of planning and jurispru­dence) rector of the devel­ the German-Jordanian Univer- and served international cooper- in 2009 from the opment studies sity/Talal Abu Ghazaleh Graduate Maha Al Ali as adviser Hala Zawati ation and minister of Mohamad Al-Ississ World Islamic Sci- Mohammad Khalaileh centre at King Hus- Basim Tweissi School of Business. Ali has served for energy af- state for economic af- ences University. He sein University and as director of the foreign trade policy department and fairs at Umniah, the King Abdul- fairs between 2018 and 2019. Ississ also served as the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti advis­er to the university president, as deputy economic counsellor at Jordan’s mission to the lah II Fund for Development, the served as special advisor for His Majesty from January 2017 until November 2019 well as an assistant profes­sor in the UN. She also hosted the trade and investment pillar of Ahli Bank and the Bank of Jor- at the Royal Court. In the November 2019 and was the secretary general of the media and strategic studies depart- the Deauville Partnership meeting in 2012, was a mem- dan. She also offered the Lower reshuffle of Omar Razza’s Cabinet, the Iftaa Department. He also served at the ment. He is a founding member for ber of the negotiation team for Jordan’s accession to House with many consultations portfolio of Al-Ississ was changed from Iftaa Department of the Jordan Armed several local commissions and civil the WTO and negotiation technical lead for the King- related to the energy sector. Za- minister of planning and international Forces-Arab Army for 21 years. Kha- society organisations. Tweissi also dom’s free trade agreements with the US, Singapore, wati holds a bachelor’s degree cooperation and state minister for eco- laileh served as Awqaf minister in Omar served as culture minister in Omar Canada and Turkey. in electrical engineering. nomic affairs to finance minister. Razzaz’s government. Razzaz’s government.

Minister of Minister Minister of Higher Minister of State Minister of State Environment of Social Education and Scientific for Follow-up and Development Research A member of Parlia- Government Coordination Masarweh served ment, Kharabsheh is as the Kingdom’s M u f l e h A US graduate and a pro- a practising lawyer Born in 1974 in Am- ambassador to served as fessor in mechanical engi- who served as direc- man, Tall holds a PhD Lebanon. He s e c r e t a r y neering, Abu Qudais held tor of the General in political science and joined the For- general of the the position of president Intelligence Depart- a master’s degree in in- eign Ministry in J o r d a n i a n of the Arab Open Univer- ment (1974-1991) ternational law from the 1977 as an at- H a s h e m i t e sity as well as president and chairman of the UK University of Exeter. taché. He holds Charity Or- of Yarmouk University. He Board of Directors of He was ambassador ex- a bachelor’s de- Nabil Masarweh g a n i s a t i o n Ayman Mufleh also held posts of secre- Mohammad Khair Al Diyar Newspaper. Mahmoud Kharabsheh traordinary of the King- Nawaf Wasfi Tall gree in political and a gover- tary general of the Ministry Abu Qudais He received the orders dom to the Netherlands science and public administration nor at the Interior Ministry. of Higher Education and of Independence, Loyalty and Al Hussein and non-resident ambassador to Estonia from the University of Jordan. vice president of the Hashemite University. Bin Ali and the Golden Jubilee Medal. and Latvia in 2018-2020.

Minister of Interior Minister of Health Minister of Transport Minister of Water and Irrigation

Born in 1955 in Karak, Ha- A consultant physician in Born in 1952, Khitan Saidan assumed several academic lalmeh enrolled at the Royal respiratory, sleep and inten- holds a master’s degree and administrative posts, including Military College as a cadet sive care medicine since 2001, in transport engineering. professor of Chemical Engineering at in 1977. He served as com- Obeidat served as spokesper- He is a board member in the University of Jordan since Sep- mander of the special police son of the National Epidemio- the Integrated Transport tember 2019. He also served as direc- in 1999. In 2008, a Royal de- logical Committee. He also Company, former general tor of the Centre of Water, Energy and cree was issued to form the assumed academic posts, no- manager of the Integrat- Environment at the University of Jor- Gendarmerie department, tably as an associate profes- ed Multi-Transport Com- dan, CEO of the Royal Scientific Soci- and Halalmeh was named its sor in the department of in- pany, and former direc- ety (RSS), director of the USAID and director general. Tawfiq Halalmeh ternal medicine, respiratory Nathir Obeidat tor general of the Public Marwan Khitan RSS’ Clean Technologies Programme Motasem Saidan and sleep medicine. Transport Corporation. for Research and Development.

Minister of Youth Minister of State for Institutional Minister of Labour and Minister of Digital Economy and Performance Development Minister of State for Entrepreneurship Nabulsi holds a master’s degree Investment Affairs in Development Studies from As director general of the Institute Holding a bachelor’s degree in fi- the University of London School of Public Administration, Ajarmeh Qatamin holds a PhD in in- nance and banking from Yarmouk of Economics and Political Sci- has 31 years of experience, includ- vestment from the University University, Hanandeh served as ence (LSE). He also has a bach- ing 13 years in leadership and su- of Warwick, a master’s de- CEO of Zain Jordan from 2011, as elor’s degree in political science pervisory positions in the public gree in finance from the Uni- well as General Manager of Busta from the American University sector and USAID projects in the versity of Nottingham and a Plus for four years. Hanadeh re- of Beirut (AUB). Nabulsi served fields of policy development, leg- bachelor’s degree in business ceived several awards, including as secretary-general of the Eco- islation and planning strategies. administration and political 2017 Telecom Worlds Middle East nomic and Social Council and Mohammad Salameh Ajarmeh also served as director of Rabaah Ajarmeh sciences from the University Maen Qatamin Award and 2016 Markets MEA Ahmad Hanandeh coordinator of the Euro-Medi- Al Nabulsi the Institutional Development Hub of Jordan. He held several aca- Award and was nominated “CEO of terranean Studies department at with the former Ministry of Public Sector Develop- demic and administrative posts, including direc- the Year”, in addition to “2016 Man of Change Award”, the Centre for Strategic Studies at the University of ment, the Ministry of Environment, as well as director tor of the Special Office of former Prime Minister and “2014 Best Telecom Leaders award from Telecom Re- Jordan and director of the department of European of institutional performance development at the Jor- Abdullah Ensour and dean of the business ad- view magazine. He also was awarded the 2014 Socrates Union Affairs at the Foreign Ministry. dan Standards and Metrology Organisation. ministration faculty at Dubai University. International Award for Best CEO.