Syria’s Assad orders cabinet reshuffle: What are the main changes?
Seasoned diplomat Bassam Sabbagh will serve as foreign minister in the new government, with other key posts remaining unchanged.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad designated former Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad as vice president and formed a cabinet with a new prime minister in a government shakeup on Monday.
Assad issued a decree forming the new cabinet led by new Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali, the official news outlet SANA reported. The move followed Assad appointing Jalali to form a government earlier this month.
Jalali previously served as communications minister from 2014 to 2016. He has been sanctioned by the European Union since 2014 for his alleged role in the repression of civilians. Jalali replaced Hussein Arnous, who has served as prime minister since 2020.
In another change, former Foreign Minister Mekdad was named vice president. He is “authorized to follow up on the implementation [of] foreign and media policy in the framework of the President’s directives” in his new position, SANA reported. Mekdad had served as foreign minister since 2020.
