Jordan: Anticipated Cabinet Reshuffle in Hassan's Government Includes Sovereign and Service Ministries

SadaNews - Attention is turning in the coming days to the Prime Minister's office, amid strong indications of an impending cabinet reshuffle in Dr. Jaafar Hassan's government, which took the constitutional oath on September 18, 2024, succeeding Bisher Al-Khasawneh's government. Sources suggested to the "Al-Wakeel News" site that President Hassan is expected to carry out a cabinet reshuffle in the upcoming days, as part of a comprehensive review of the performance of the ministerial team and the renewal of some portfolios. The anticipated reshuffle is expected to include several ministries, as SadaNews has learned, including sovereign ministries and other key service ministries, in a move aimed at enhancing the efficiency of government performance and accelerating the implementation of programs. According to available information, the outgoing ministers who will be affected by the reshuffle include: Minister of Education and Higher Education / Azmi Mohafaza Minister of Water and Irrigation / Raed Abu Saud Minister of Health / Firas Al-Hawari Minister of Interior / Mazen Al-Faraya Minister of Investment / Muthana Gharaibeh Minister of Culture / Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh Minister of Youth / Yazan Al-Shadeifat Minister of Local Administration / Walid Al-Masri Minister of Transport / Wissam Al-Tahatmouni Information also indicates a governmental tendency to merge the Ministry of Public Sector Development with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship into one portfolio, as part of a plan to restructure the governmental apparatus and reduce functional overlaps. It is worth noting that the anticipated cabinet reshuffle is the first under Dr. Jaafar Hassan's government, which is classified among the prime ministers who have relatively delayed making changes to their ministerial teams, contrary to the approach of their predecessors who made early adjustments within the first six months of their governments. Observers believe that this delay reflects the president's approach of granting ministers the time and space to work away from the pressures of "political salons," relying on objective criteria in performance evaluation based on what was requested of the ministers and what was actually achieved over nearly a year.