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The Cabinet

Prime Minister

Eng. Hussein Arnous

Eng. Hussein Arnous, the prime minister, was born in Idleb province,1953, He graduated from Faculty of Civil Engineering of Aleppo University in 1978 and he was head of Idleb Engineering Syndicate branch from 1989 to1994.

He was appointed as Governor of Deir –Ezzor from 2009 to 2011 and Governor of Quneitra in 2011.

Minister of Public Works and Housing as of 2013 until 2018.

A member in the central command of the al- Baath Arab Socialist Party since 2013 and Minister of Water Resources since 2018.

 

Minister of Defense

                                                  Major General Ali Mahmoud Abbas 

 – Born in Damascus Countryside province on Nov.2nd, 1964

– He joined the Military College on January 3, 1983, specialization of armored vehicles.

– He graduated with the rank of lieutenant on October 7th, 1985.

– He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General on 1-1-2018 and the rank of Major General on 4-30-2022.

The posts he has occupied:

– He has occupied a number of high posts, the latest of which as Chief of the General Staff on March 18th, 2021.

Courses he followed:

Abbas followed many basic and informative courses inside and outside the country, the most important of which are:

– Command and Staff course in the Republic of Pakistan in 1997.

– A national defense course in Britain – the Royal College of Defense Studies, 2000-2001.

– An international crisis management course in Sweden at the Royal Swedish College in 2003.

– A course in directing the state’s defense in the Netherlands, the Royal College in 2004.

– A course in reforming the security sector in countries emerging from conflicts in Britain in 2006.

                                   

Minister of Religious Endowments

Mohammad Abdelsattar al-Sayyed

-Born in Tartous, 1958.

-Graduated from Damascus University, Faculty of Economy and Trade.

-Holds a PhD in Islamic Studies from Damascus University.

-Director of Religious Endowments Department in Tartous and Mufti of Tartous (1985-2002).

-Assistant Minister of Religious Endowments for Religious Affairs in 2002.

-Minister of Religious Endowments since 2007.

-Participated in many Islamic conferences.

-Married with three children.

Presidential Affairs Minister

Mansour Fadlallah Azzam

-Born in Sweida, 1960.

-Graduated from Damascus University, Faculty of French Literature, 1983.

-Earned a diploma in International Relations from the Institute of Public Administration, Paris.

-Held a diplomatic position at the Foreign Ministry in 1994.

-Worked at the Syrian Embassy in Washington as US Congress affairs and Cultural Affairs officer (1995-2000).

-Occupied the post of General Secretary of Presidency in 2008.

-Minister of Presidential Affairs since 2009.

-Married with three daughters.

Local Administration Minister

Hussein Makhlouf

-Born in Lattakia, 1964.

-Earned a degree in civil engineering from Tishreen University in 1987.

-Occupied several posts at the Coast Company for Construction and Building and the General Establishment of Construction and Building, and chaired a project for expanding Lattakia port.

-Director of Water Resources Department (2006-2011), chairing joint committees with Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey on water affairs.

-Damascus Countryside Governor since 2011.

-Married with four children.

                   Interior Minister 

 Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun

– Born in Idleb, 1957.

– Held numerous military posts, the last of which is Head of the Political Security Department.

   

  Education Minister

Mohammad Amer Mardini 

Dr. Mardini was born in Damascus in 1959. He holds PhD in Pharmacy in pharmaceutical quality control, from Humboldt University, Germany, in 1988.

He occupied several positions, including Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy at al-Andalus University for Medical Sciences, and Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Damascus, and currently he is Rector of al-Andalus University for Medical Sciences.

He is member of the Board of Trustees of Distinction and Creativity Agency and member of the Board of Trustees of Aamal.

He also occupied several positions, including, Director of Academic Programs in the Excellence and Creativity Authority, Minister of Higher Education, Rector of Damascus University, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Damascus

He won al-Basil Awards for the best research project and has several contributions in many scientific societies and bodies, in addition to publishing scientific books, nonfiction books, and about 55 scientific papers in many scientific journals.

Minister of Justice

Mr.Ahmad al-Sayyed 

He was born in Quneitra in 1965, He graduated from faculty of Law in Damascus University in 1994.

He served as the first investigating judge and then Judge of financial investigation and a public lawyer in Damascus countryside and first Attorney General in Damascus and a consultant for the Court of Cassation.

Married with 4 children.

                                 Minister of Public Works and Housing

                                   Eng. Suhail Mohammad Abdullatif

– Born in Lattakia, 1961.

– Got a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Damascus University.

– Held several administrative positions such as Director Genera of the General Establishment for Housing.

Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform

Eng.Mohammad Hassan Qatana

He was born in Damascus. He graduated from Agricultural Engineering University in 1982.

He was appointed as Director of Planning and statistics from 2004 to 2011 and a director of Agricultural Production Support Fund from 2008 to 2010 and Director of Planning and International Cooperation.

Director of world food program project in Syria

Married with two children

                                                                         Tourism Minister 

                                                       Eng. Mohammad Rami Radwan Martini

– Born in Aleppo, 1970

– Got a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Aleppo University.

– Held several administrative positions of Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Federation of the Syrian Chambers of Tourism in the founding session, Chairman of the Federation (2008-2016) and Assistant Minister of Tourism.

Minister of Administrative Development

Salam Mohammad al-Saffaf

-Born in 1979.

-Holds a PhD in political sciences from Toulouse 1 University Capitole in France (2010), a Master’s degree in international relations from the Faculty of Economy of the University of Damascus and a Professional, Master’s degree in public administration from the National Institute of Public Administration. She served as Assistant Minister of Administrative Development.

-Supervised organizational structures and statutes of a number of ministries.

Health Minister

                                                    Dr.Hassan al-Ghabbash

He was born in Damascus in 1971, he graduated from Faculty of Medicine from Damascus University in 1998 and continued his specialization in Otolaryngology, head and neck surgery in al-Mouwasat University Hospital until 2002.

He was a member of the American Academy of ear, nose and throat disease “Otorhinolaryngology ” in 2003

He was a founding member of the Arab Association of Otorhinolaryngology doctors in Cairo.

He was a member of the Syrian Board and Chairman of the Training Committee for otorhinolaryngology diseases since 2017.

He was elected as the head of the Syrian Association of Otorhinolaryngology doctors from 2014 to 2019 and the head of Damascus Doctors Syndicate in 2019.

He was a specialist supervisor doctor at al-Mouwasat University Hospital, He has been training postgraduate students and has been giving clinical lessons to human medicine students since 2003

Married with two children.

 Social Affairs Minister

Louai Emad El-Din al-Munajjid

-Advisor – to the Cabinet and the studies of the Economic Committee.

-Expert at the evaluation team of the 10th five-year plan and the preparation of the 11th five-year plan.

-Member of the Advisory Board at the Ministry of Transport and founder of the Public-Private Partnership Department.

-Member of the Committee to Study the Partnership Law- Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

-Member of the Public Industrial Sector Reorganization Law Committee.

-Founding member of the Syrian Competitiveness Observatory

-Member of the Subsidy Restructuring Committee for Oil Derivatives and Energy Carriers and their Impact on the Economic Sectors.

-Team member of the Trade Facilitation Project across the Middle East (Lebanon – Jordan – Iraq – Syria).

-Principal consultant contracted with a number of international and regional organizations.

-Advisor – the Cabinet Advisory Council.

-Advisor – Ministry of Higher Education.

-Advisor – National Union of Syrian Students.

-Founder of the Syrian Exporters Union.

-Adviser to the Federation of Charitable Societies in Damascus.

-Married with three sons.

                                                         Minister of Water Resources

                                                               Mr. Tammam Raad

He was born in Homs in 1965, He has a PhD in Civil Engineering, specialized in Engineering and Water Resources Management in 2013.

He shared Preparing studies of several projects in the Orontes basin.

He was an assistant director of Homs department of the Orontes basin, as well as the head of Planning and Studies.

He was the director of Homs branch to the Orontes basin from 2004 to 2005 and an assistant director of Water Resources at Homs from 2006 to 2011.

He was manager of water resources at Homs from 2011 to 2015, and general manager of the General Company for Water Studies from 2015 to 2019 and a General Manager assistant of the General Company for Engineering Studies as well as General Director of the Public establishment for Land reclamation since 2019.

He got married with three children.

                                     Minister of Industry

                                  Dr. Abdul Qader Jokhadar

– Born in Aleppo 1968.

– Graduated from Aleppo University, Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

– He holds a PhD in Intelligent Control Systems, University of Aberdeen, Royal College of Electronic Engineering, UK.

– Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Aleppo 2019-2020.

– Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering for Scientific Affairs, University of Aleppo 2015-2019.

– Head of the Mechatronics Engineering Department 2009-2013.

– Married with three sons.

 

Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade

Mohammad Samer Abdelrahman al-Khalil

-Assistant Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade since 2015.

-Director General of the the General Establishment for Exhibitions and International Markets.

-Was member of the teaching staff at the University of Damascus.

                                Minister of Higher Education 

                                     Bassam Bashir Ibrahim 

– Born in Hama, 1960.

– Earned a PhD in Civil Engineering from Moscow State University.

– Held a number of administrative positions such as Deputy Dean of Civil Engineering Faculty in al-Baath University, Dean of Civil Engineering Faculty (1999-2005) and Rector of al-Baath University since 2017.

– Member of Engineers Syndicate general conference.

                       Communications and Technology Minister

                               Eng. Iyad Mohammad al-Khatib

– Born in Damascus, 1974.

– Obtained Bachelor’s degree in Communications Engineering from Damascus University.

– Held numeruos administrative positions including Director of Damascus Communications Branch, Head of Technical Department at the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (Syrian Telecom) and Executive Managing Director of the Syrian Telecom.

 

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister

Dr. Firas Hassan Qaddour

– Born in Damascus countryside in 1962.

– Holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, specializing in machine building technology.

– He has held the position of General Manager of the Syrian Oil Company to date.

He previously served as:

– Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Al Furat Oil Company in 2015.

– Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deir Ezzor Oil Company in 2008.

– Director of Technical Support for the Euphrates Oil Company in 2004.

– Assistant Director of Technical Affairs of the Syrian Oil Company in 2002.

Culture Minister

Dr.Lubana Mshaweh

She was born in Damascus in 1955.

Earnrd a PHD in General linguistics in 1986 from Paris 8th University in France with an honor degree.

A professor in Faculty of Arts and Human Science in Damascus from 2005 to 2016.

A member of the Academy of the Arabic Language in Damascus.

Dean of the Higher institute of Language. Minister of Culture from 2012 to 2014

A member of the board of Trustees of the Distinction and Creativity Agency  since 2019.

An Advisor for cultural development Strategies at the Syrian Trust for Development.

She was awarded the state Appreciation award for the year 2019 in the fields of criticism, Studies and Translation.

 

Transport Minister

Eng.Zouhair Khzeim

He was born in Lattakia in 1963, he has got a civil engineering diploma from Form Russian Federation “Soviet Union” in 1987.

Executive Engineer at the General establishment for drinking Water and sanitation in Lattakia since 1987.

Branch Director and central director at the General Land Reclamation Company in Aleppo since 1996 and assistant general director of the military Housing Establishment since 2008.

He was appointed as Director of Branch 7 of the military Housing Establishment in 2012, as well as an assistant director of the General Manager, and then General Director of the military Housing Corporation since 2017.

He got married with three children.

Electricity Minister

Eng.Ghassanal-Zamel

He was born in Damascus in 1963. A professor in electrical engineering from Damascus University in 1993.

 

He started his career at the General Company of Electricity in  Daraa  in 1995, served as Head of the Mediterranean Emergency Maintenance Service from 2000 to 2011 and a Director of Operation in 2012 and an  Assistant Director of the Electricity Company in  Daraa in 2014 and General Manager of the Electricity Company in Daraa  from 2017 to 2020.

 

Married with three sons.

 

 

Finance Minister

Dr.Kenan Yaghi

He was born in Salmiya, in Hama countryside in 1976.

He has got a PhD in Business Administration, “Investment and Finance” from Damascus University in 2010 and Master in Finance from Ayn Shams University in Egypt in 2005, and a high diploma from the American University of Cairo in the establishment and Management of Investment portfolios in 2005 as well as a postgraduate Diploma in business administration from Aleppo University in 2001 and a Business Management Degree from Aleppo University in 1999.

He has worked for the Central Bank of Syria from 2006 to 2015, where he has been appointed as Director of Department of Treasury and Director of Directorate of Banking Operations and Head of State Securities Management and Deputy Executive Chairman of Damascus Securities Market since 2015.

He was a Professor at Finance of the Arab Private University and has worked as an economic consultant to many international organizations.

He has many scientific studies and researches on financial markets and banking and financial issues.

He got married with two children.     

Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection

 Mr. Mohsen Abdul Karim Ali 

– Born in Kfardbil – Lattakia in 1968

– Holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Damascus in 2004.

– He has held the position of General Manager of the General Corporation for Internal Trade for Metals and Building Materials (Omran) from 2014 to date.

He previously served as:

– General Manager of the Consumer Corporation from 2007 to 2012.

– Director of the Military Social Institution Branch in Banias, Tartous Province, from 1995 to 1999, and in Tartous, and Director of the Halbouni Branch, in Damascus, from 1999 to 2001.

– Director of the Materials Directorate at Omran Corporation from 2005 to 2007.

– Advisor to the Cabinet from 2012 to 2014.

– Married with no children.

Information Minister

Boutros Hallaq

-He was born in “Yabroud” in Damascus countryside, 1966.

-He holds a doctorate in the management of media institutions in2000 from” Cairo

University.

– Worked as Vice president of scientific affairs at Damascus university in 2021

-Dean of the Media college between 2013-2017

 

 

Foreign and Expatriates Minister

Faysal Mikdad

Dr. Mikdad was born in Ghasm village in Daraa province in 1954.

He graduated from Damascus University in English Literature in 1978, He also got a doctorate in English literature from Charles University in Prague in1992.

Mikdad worked in the diplomatic corps in 1994 at Ministry of Foreign Affairs then joined the permanent delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic in 1995 at the UN, and he worked with various UN committees and represented

Syria at several international conferences and was appointed as deputy permanent envoy and representative for Syria at the Security Council.

He chaired several UN Security Council sessions and also served as vice Chairman of the UN General Assembly and chaired a number of its meetings.

He was appointed as ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic and permanent representative to the UN in 2003.

He was appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006, and head of the National Committee for the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention in Syria

Married with three sons.

          State Minister

                                                                                Ahmed Mohammad Bustaji

– Born in Idleb City.

– Member of the People’s Assembly

– Graduated from the Faculty of Law-Damascus University.

– He was appointed State Attorney at the Ministry of Justice for ten years

– He worked as a lawyer at the Lawyers Union, Idleb branch, and a member of the Council of the Lawyers Union branch in Idleb.

– Member of the Central Committee of the Unified Syrian Communist Party and member of its Political Bureau.

– He was elected a member of the Idleb Governorate Council for more than one session, then a member of the People’s Assembly.

– Married with three sons and a daughter.

State Minister

Mr. Abdallah Abdallah

 

-He was born in Aleppo, 1956

– He had a university degree in Law.

– Member of the Executive Office of the National Union of Syrian Students since 1985     Until 2005.

– Member of the People’s Assembly in 2003-2007 and 2012-2016

-Minister of State for People’s Assembly Affairs from 2016 to 2020

-Married with Five children.

State Minister

Diala Barakat

-She was born in 1980 from Homs

– She holds a doctorate in Roman stone carvings, University of Rome III, Italy, and a diploma in classical antiquities, University of Damascus.

– Worked as teacher at al-Baath University, College of Tourism, open education and postgraduate studies.