REPORT: Lebanon gets new government after months of deadlock

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.

After more than 9 months since his nomination, PM-Designate Salam broke the record set by late Prime Minister Rashid Karami as PM-Designate who took the longest to form a cabinet since Lebanon’s independence in 1943.


To watch Nada Andraos' report, please click on the VIDEO above