Lebanon announced a new government on Saturday after more than 10 months of political deadlock.
The ministers were appointed as follows:
Tammam Salam: Prime Minister
Samir Moqbel: deputy Prime Minister and National Defense Minister
Boutros Harb: Telecommunications Minister
Ali Hassan Khalil: Finance Minister
Mohammad Fneish: State Minister for Parliamentary affairs
Gebran Bassil : Foreign Minister
Wael Abou Faour: Health Minister
Hussein al-Hajj Hassan: Industry Minister
Nouhad Machnouq: Interior Minister
Nabil De Freij: State Minister for administrative development affairs
Ramzi Jreij: Information Minister
Rashid Derbass: Social Affairs Minister
Mohammad Mashnouq: Environment Minister
Akram Chouhayeb: Agriculture Minister
Arthur Nazarian: Energy Minster
Ghazi Zoueiter: Public Works Minister
Michel Faraon : Tourism Minister
Alice Chabtini: Minister of the Displaced
Abed al-Matlab al-Hannawi: Sports and Youth Minister
Elias Bou Saad:Education Minister
Sajaan Azzi: Labor Minister
Ashraf Rifi: Justice Minister
Alain Hakim: Economy and Trade Minister
Raymond Arayji: Culture Minister
Following the announcement of the new cabinet,
Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed the need to create positive atmosphere in order to resume national dialogue to resolve all pending issues under the auspices of President Michel Sleiman.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam held a meeting with President Michel Sleiman at the Baabda Presidential Palace, in the presence of Speaker Nabih Berri and the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Suheil Bouji .
Reactions:
Prime Minister Salam received a phone call from Future movement leader MP Saad Hariri in which he congratulated him over the formation of the new cabinet, hoping that the government will be able to deal with national and constitutional pending issues.
In turn, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati hoped that the new cabinet will be able to deal with the Lebanon's upcoming challenges that require cooperation among all parties.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced the cabinet's resignation on Friday March 22, after talks deadlocked over the extension of Internal Security Forces chief Major General Ashraf Riffi's mandate and the formation of an Election Supervisory Committee.
In April 2013, 124 deputies out of 128 nominated MP Tammam Salam as Prime Minister.