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### Viewing cable 07AMMAN4693, BIOGRAPHIES FOR JORDAN'S NEW GOVERNMENT

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07AMMAN4693 | 2007-11-26 17:05 | 2010-12-28 21:09 | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | Embassy Amman

`

    VZCZCXRO5647
    PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHROV
    DE RUEHAM #4693/01 3301700
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 261700Z NOV 07
    FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1026
    INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
    RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 AMMAN 004693

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS
    NOFORN

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2017
    TAGS: JO PGOV PINR
    SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHIES FOR JORDAN'S NEW GOVERNMENT

    REF: A. AMMAN 4559
    ¶B. AMMAN 4676

    Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

    ¶1. (U) In the wake of November 20 parliamentary elections,
    Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit submitted his resignation to the
    King November 22, paving the way for a new government. On
    November 23, the King designated Nader Dahabi as the new
    Prime Minister, and the new cabinet was sworn in on November
    ¶25. Bios of Dahabi and his cabinet follow.

    Nader Dahabi
    Prime Minister
    ---------------

    ¶2. (SBU/NF) An East Banker, Dahabi was born October 7 1946 in
    Amman. Dahabi holds a BSc from the Greek Air Force Academy,
    along with a Masters degrees in Public Administration from
    Auburn University and a degree in Aeronautical Engineering
    from Cranfield Institute of Technology in the United Kingdom.
    A career air force officer, Dahabi became President and CEO
    of government-owned Royal Jordanian Airlines upon his
    retirement from the military, a post which he held from 1994
    to 2001. He then served a short stint as Minister of
    Transport from 2001 to 2002. After his ministerial tenure,
    Dahabi took up the chairmanship of the Aqaba Special Economic
    Zone (ASEZA) in 2004.

    ¶3. (C) The choice of Dahabi as Prime Minister represents the
    palace's desire to fill the position with an East Banker
    whose tribal and military background comforts the monarchy's
    loyal base, but whose career demonstrates the ability to
    effectively implement a reform agenda. It also represents
    the hope for smooth intra-governmental relations. Dahabi's
    brother Mohamad is the head of the powerful General
    Intelligence Directorate (GID), and it is expected that the
    relationship between the royal court, the GID, and the
    government will be smoother under this government than
    previous ones. Critics will likely claim that the familial
    connection in these two critical posts is a fundamental
    conflict of interest, but this argument neglects the new PM's
    standing as a strong and successful public figure in his own
    right.

    ¶4. (C) During his tenure as ASEZA Commissioner, Dahabi worked
    extensively with USAID on local development projects. He is
    seen in the development community as an extremely effective
    technocrat who knows how to get things done. He is
    well-connected in the private sector, and in Aqaba succeeded
    in attracting investment from many international firms. Some
    have described Dahabi as essentially a "small Prime Minister"
    in Aqaba, where he had extensive exposure to the
    bread-and-butter economic issues that drove the parliamentary
    campaigns and drive the king's reform agenda (Ref A). He
    understands the relationship between poverty, unemployment,
    and youth issues in particular. He has also worked on the
    hot button issue of foreign laborers.

    ¶5. (C) Dahabi is known as an operator who concentrates on
    top-down change rather than consultative reform from the
    grass roots. He was criticized as disconnected from local
    community organizations during his tenure in Aqaba, and
    retained cool working relationships with NGOs until
    appointing a competent liaison to handle that portion of his
    portfolio. He is known as a blunt person who, rather than
    hiding behind a public persona, sets clear goals and expects
    partners and subordinates to follow through. He sets clear
    guidelines for action when they are necessary.

    ¶6. (C) The new PM is expected to focus on domestic
    development issues and fiscal reform, and not meddle in
    foreign relations, as indicated in the King's designation
    letter. He will likely face a challenge in dealing with the
    new parliament. The new lower house comes out of a
    competitive campaign season and is eager to show activity,
    but the direction of that energy is far from certain; the
    previous parliament proved effective at blocking or slowing
    key pieces of economic reform legislation. Dahabi will have
    to corral a multitude of independent (and often conflicting)
    interests in order to effectively implement the extensive
    reform agenda envisioned by the King. Given long-term
    relationships with USAID, contractors, and the development
    community, Dahabi sees the U.S.-Jordan partnership as
    positive and productive. Since he understands the
    international workings of aid and investment, he is likely to
    seek detailed and feasible solutions to Jordan's needs
    internationally.

    ¶7. (U) Dahabi is married, with two sons and one daughter. He
    speaks English and Greek.

    AMMAN 00004693 002 OF 007

    Salah Bashir
    Foreign Minister
    ----------------

    ¶8. (SBU/NF) Born in 1966, Bashir is considered to be an East
    Banker, though his mother is of Palestinian origin. Bashir's
    father was Minister of Health when he died in the 1977
    helicopter crash that also killed Queen Alia, King Hussein's
    third wife. His mother is Haifa Bashir, a long time civil
    society activist who is currently president of the White Beds
    Society, a charity that assists Jordanians who are elderly
    and poor. Bashir obtained his BA in Law from the University
    of Jordan in 1987, an MA in Law from Harvard Law School, and
    a PhD in Civil Law from McGill University in 1996. Bashir
    began his career as a research assistant at McGill, and went
    on to become an adjunct professor of Law at the University of
    Jordan in 1996. In 1997, he also became a managing partner
    at Abu Ghazaleh Legal Services, serving as a legal advisor on
    international affairs. Bashir was appointed as a member of
    the King's Economic Consultative Council in 1999. Bashir was
    appointed as Minister of Trade and Industry in 2001. He held
    that post (surviving a cabinet re-shuffle) until 2003, when
    he became Minister of Justice, while at the same time holding
    the title of Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs.
    After another cabinet shuffle in 2005, he briefly held the
    position of Minister of Government Performance. Since the
    appointment of the Bakhit government in November 2005, Bashir
    has been in private legal practice.

    ¶9. (SBU) His expertise in international law mostly extends to
    trade and economic issues. He is considered an expert on WTO
    law and international trade, having prepared a study of
    investment-related licensing procedures in Jordan and
    assisted in drafting recommendations for procedural reforms.

    ¶10. (C) As Justice Minister, Bashir was an active partner in
    implementing a USAID judicial reform program, but suffered
    from a strong backlash because of his refusal to make
    judicial appointments and other personnel choices based on
    tribal and political favoritism. In one famous episode, he
    was assaulted by the father of a jilted office seeker and had
    to restrain his own tribe from seeking revenge. He was also
    accused during his time as Justice Minister of a conflict of
    interest between his role on Jordan's WTO accession
    negotiation team and his private sector job as a lawyer. At
    the time, politically-motivated rumors circulated that Bashir
    was ordering up policies that would benefit his firm. In
    response to this, Bashir turned over his stake in the firm to
    his wife, and recused himself from any negotiations that
    would have furthered the conflict of interest claims.

    ¶11. (C) Bashir is trusted by the King and is a close
    confidant of the new Chief of the Royal Court Bassem Adwallah
    (former office director for the King). He has no foreign
    policy experience per se, but is intelligent and observant.
    He is also in step with the King's strategy and Jordan's
    relationship with the United States. The appointment of a
    new Foreign Minister ends what had become a dysfunctional
    relationship between the royal court and the Ministry of
    Foreign Affairs, in which the latter was frequently excluded
    from policy discussions.

    ¶12. (U) See Ref B for a detailed treatment of the new Foreign
    Minister.

    Thouqan Qudah
    Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs
    --------------------------------------------

    ¶13. (SBU/NF) Born in 1945 in Ein Janna, Qudah is a former air
    force officer. He rose to the rank of brigadier general, and
    was later appointed director of the Air Force Command Bureau,
    and administrative director of the Air Force. Upon his
    retirement from the military, Qudah served as a financial and
    administrative assistant in the Civil Aviation Authority.

    Omar Shdeifat
    Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
    --------------------------------------------- -------

    ¶14. (SBU/NF) An East Banker, Shdeifat has a PhD in
    linguistics from the University of Illinois, and was a
    professor of English at Aal Al-Bayt University and Mu'ta
    University. A former secretary general in the Ministry of
    Education, Shdeifat has served on the board of the Fulbright
    Commission since 2005. Before becoming a minister, he was
    the president of Hashemiya University. He went on a
    Voluntary Visitor program on higher education in the United
    States in 1993, when he was an assistant to the president of
    Aal Al-Bayt University.

    AMMAN 00004693 003.3 OF 007

    Abdul Rahim Okour
    Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
    -------------------------------------------

    ¶15. (SBU/NF) Born in 1939, Okour is of Palestinian origin.
    He graduated with a BA in Shari'a from the University of
    Damascus in 1966, and worked as a secondary school teacher
    and university professor at Yarmouk University. He served in
    the Parliament for eight years as a representative from
    Irbid, and was also a member of the Irbid consultative
    council. Okour is a former member of parliament from the
    Islamic Action Front, the political wing of Jordan's Muslim
    Brotherhood.

    Nasser Judeh
    Minister of State for Media and Communication
    ---------------------------------------------

    ¶16. (C/NF) Judeh is elevated to ministerial status in this
    cabinet - his previous job was as official government
    spokesman for the Bakhit cabinet. Judeh was born in Amman in
    1960, and holds a BA in International Relations from American
    University and an MA from Georgetown. He has previously
    served at the Royal Court, first in King Hussein's Press
    Office and later as private secretary to Prince Hassan. In
    1992 he was posted to London to establish and head the Jordan
    Information Bureau. Judeh was appointed director of Jordan
    Television in 1994, and director of the Jordan Radio and
    Television Corporation in 1998. He is a former Minister of
    Information, and is married to Princess Sumaya, President of
    the Royal Scientific Society and a daughter of Prince Hassan.
    He is the son of Sami Judeh, a former Minister of State.
    One of his uncles is former Prime Minister and current
    Speaker of the Senate Zaid Al-Rifa'i. He had hoped to be
    selected as Foreign Minister, for which he was shortlisted.

    Eid Fayez
    Minister of Interior
    --------------------

    ¶17. (SBU/NF) An East Banker, Fayez was born in 1945. Fayez
    returns as Minister of Interior after presiding over a
    successful parliamentary election season. Fayez obtained a
    BA in economics and political science from Beirut Arab
    University in 1970. He then worked as a businessman in the
    U.S. until 1983. He was appointed director general of the
    Jordanian-Iraqi Transport Company in 1983, director general
    of the Ports Corporation in 1986, and secretary general of
    the Ministry of Youth in 1990. He was made an advisor at the
    Royal Court in 1993, and subsequently served as Minister of
    Labor in 1999, and as Minister of Youth and State in 2001.
    He was appointed Minister of Interior in 2005 in the cabinet
    which was formed following the November 2005 Amman hotel
    bombings.

    Sahl Majali
    Minister of Public Works and Housing
    ------------------------------------

    ¶18. (SBU/NF) Son of Parliament Speaker Abdulhadi Majali (who
    was re-elected to Parliament on November 20), Sahl is the
    longtime head of the family construction firm MID
    Contracting, which has had extensive dealings with
    construction projects in Iraq. Born in 1962, he is an East
    Banker who received his BA in civil engineering from the
    University of London and a Masters in construction from
    George Washington University. Majali was the head of the
    Jordan Contractors Association from 2000 to 2002 and from
    2006 until his appointment as minister.

    Tayseer Nueimi
    Minister of Education
    ---------------------

    ¶19. (C) Nueimi, an East Banker, is the former Secretary
    General in the Ministry. During the previous government,
    Nueimi ran the day to day operations of K-12 affairs, as the
    minister himself preferred to focus on higher education. He
    flourished in this role, earning a reputation as a
    well-versed and well-respected bureaucrat. Nueimi is highly
    supportive of USAID projects, and is described as a key
    interlocutor for the development community. He is seen as a
    tribal representative for the most part, but is also highly
    intelligent and known for his good memory in particular.
    Nueimi has never held such a public role as this and his new
    visibility may be a test. He participated in an
    International Visitor Leadership Program on the U.S.
    education system in 2004. Nueimi has a PhD in educational
    psychology from Petersburg University, and was previously a
    professor of psychology in Mu'ta University in Karak. He was

    AMMAN 00004693 004 OF 007

    also vice president of the National Center for the
    Development of Human Resources.

    Alaa Batayneh
    Minister of Transportation
    --------------------------

    ¶20. (SBU/NF) Batayneh, an East Banker, is a former director
    of Jordan's customs service. This is his first ministerial
    appointment. He is married to a daughter of Prince Hassan.
    Note: Nasser Judeh, Minister of State for Media and
    Communication, is married to Prince Hassan's other daughter.
    End Note. Born in 1969 in Amman, Batayneh has a BS in
    electrical engineering and an MS in management information
    systems from George Washington University. In addition to
    his job as the head of the customs service, Batayneh was the
    Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport, and has also

    SIPDIS
    served as the Chairman of the Arab Bridge Maritime Company.

    ¶21. (C) Contacts were surprised when Batayneh stepped down
    suddenly several months ago. He was well-liked by his staff,
    and seen as a competent bureaucrat. Top officials and royal
    family members have been tight-lipped about what happened,
    but Batayneh in any event clearly hasn't suffered.

    Ayman Odeh
    Minister of Justice
    -------------------

    ¶22. (C) Odeh was born in 1961, and has a BA in law from the
    University of Jordan (1982), along with a Masters from the
    University of Miami (1984). He was a member of Jordan's
    first Anti-Corruption Commission, and served on the "We Are
    All Jordan" committee. Odeh, of Palestinian origin, is known
    as a close confidant of the previous minister, Sharif
    Al-Zubi. They are connected through Zubi's law firm, and
    Odeh was known to have regular input into Zubi's
    decision-making. It was known for some time that Zubi was
    uninterested in continuing as Minister of Justice, and Odeh
    has likely been groomed for this position for some time.

    Maher Madadha
    Minister of Public Sector Development
    -------------------------------------

    ¶23. (C) An East Banker and former Secretary General at the
    Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Madadha
    is taking on his first ministerial role. Seen by contacts as
    a less-than impressive figure, Madadha is likely to be
    eclipsed in the policy arena by the Prime Minister, and
    members of the royal court. Madadha holds a BA in economics
    and administration and an MA in finance. He worked in the
    Ministry of Planning as the chief of its external debts
    division, as well as Assistant Secretary General for
    administrative and financial affairs.

    Khalid Irani
    Minister of Environment
    -----------------------

    ¶24. (SBU/NF) Irani returns to his job from the Bakhit
    cabinet. Born in 1964, Irani earned a BSc and MSc from the
    University of Jordan. Formerly a research assistant at the
    University of Jordan and manager of the Protected Areas
    Department at the Royal Society for the Conservation of
    Nature (RSCN), Irani served as director general of the RSCN
    until his appointment as Minister during Badran's cabinet. He
    has worked closely with USAID on numerous projects, and has
    occasionally gone on hikes with embassy officers and their
    families. He is married and has two children. Irani traveled
    to the U.S. on an IV program in 1993. He is fluent in English.

    ¶25. (C) Irani is seen by USAID officers who have worked with
    him as an "idea guy" more than an administrator. That said,
    the ministry, which was established following the signing of
    the U.S. - Jordan FTA, has become a viable institution under
    his leadership. He is very bright and close to the Palace,
    due to his extensive work with the RSCN. He went on an
    International Visitor Leadership Program on national parks
    management in 1991.

    Bassem Salem
    Minister of Labor
    -----------------

    ¶26. (SBU/NF) A Christian East Banker, Salem returns as
    Minister of Labor. Born in 1956 in al-Husn in Irbid
    Governorate, and son of the late former Senator and Central
    Bank Governor Khalid Salem, Bassem Salem earned a bachelor's
    degree in chemical engineering from the University of London
    in 1979. Upon his return to Jordan in the early 1980s, he

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    started a manufacturing plant to produce plastics and
    packaging materials. He expanded his business into several
    manufacturing facilities, including confectioneries, as well
    as founding a trading company. He recently acquired one of
    the smaller mining operations that was privatized by the
    government. In the mid 1990s he co-founded the Jordan Export
    and Finance Bank, and still serves on its board. He also
    served as board member of the Central Bank of Jordan. Salem
    was Labor Minister briefly in 2005. Married with one son,
    Salem is fluent in English.

    ¶27. (C) Salem has recently concentrated his legal work on GOJ
    government contracts, especially tenders on big
    infrastructure projects, including USAID-funded projects. He
    has a cosmopolitan outlook, displays an obvious love for the
    law, and can converse easily on diverse subjects such as
    regional Arab artists. He travels to England regularly.
    When he was first appointed Minister, he was very optimistic
    that his "fresh" approach to government would help root out
    inefficiencies. After several months, that enthusiasm waned,
    but he sought to retain this portfolio to carry through labor
    sector reforms.

    Amer Hadidi
    Minister of Industry and Trade
    ------------------------------

    ¶28. (C) An East Banker and strong technocrat, this is
    Hadidi's first term as a minister. Born in 1968, Hadidi has
    a BSc in mechanical engineering from the University of
    Bridgeport in Connecticut. He then worked as a project
    engineer at the Industrial Development Bank, and served as
    Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport. He is a

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    long-time participant in USAID projects through the
    Jordanian-U.S. Business Partnership. In the past, he was
    heavily involved with negotiating Jordan's Free Trade
    Agreements. USAID sees him as a marked improvement in terms
    of competency and overall knowledge when compared with his
    predecessor, although the task of running the ministry will
    be a challenge.

    Abdul Fattah Salah
    Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
    -------------------------------------

    ¶29. (SBU/NF) Salah returns as Minister of Awqaf and Islamic
    Affairs. An East Banker born in Maan in 1946, Salah holds a
    BA in Islamic Sharia from Damascus University, and has held
    several official posts prior to becoming Minister of Awqaf,
    including as secretary general of the Ministry. He also
    served as vice president of the Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
    Council, and deputy chairman of the board of trustees of the
    Da'wa and Usul College (a state-run Islamic community
    college). Salah served on the committee concerned with the
    renovation of the Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic sites in
    Jerusalem.

    Nancy Bakir
    Minister of Culture
    -------------------

    ¶30. (SBU/NF) A Circassian East Banker, Bakir was the former
    Assistant Arab League Secretary General for Social Affairs.
    She was born in Amman in 1952. A Humphrey Fellow
    (1983-1984), Bakir holds an MS in Managerial and Educational
    Development from Boston University and also studied in the
    former Soviet Union. She served as the head of the human
    rights department at the Prime Ministry before joining the
    Arab League, and has also served as secretary general of the
    Ministry of Administrative Development and in several jobs in
    the higher council for science and technology. She was
    appointed an advisor to the Prime Ministry in 1999.

    Hala Latouf
    Minister of Social Development
    ------------------------------

    ¶31. (C) Of Palestinian origin, Latouf has an extensive resume
    that includes stints as head of Queen Rania's office,
    Secretary General of the Ministry of Planning, staffer at

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    UNDP, and the head of several NGOs. She holds a BSc in
    economics and applied statistics from the University of
    Jordan, and an MSc in accounting and finance from the London
    School of Economics. Latouf is known as a highly competent,
    well-connected operator, and may signal greater space for
    civil society to operate in Jordan, as this ministry
    typically oversees NGO operations. She is a marked contrast
    to the conservative ministers who have previously occupied
    this position.

    Khaldoun Qteishat

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    Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources
    ----------------------------------------

    ¶32. (SBU/NF) Born in 1959, Qteishat is an East Banker serving
    in his first ministerial post. He has a BA in electrical
    engineering from Ein Shams University in Cairo. Before
    becoming a minister, Qteishat served as Secretary General for
    the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and as director
    of its electricity department. He has also served as an
    instructor at Prince Feisal College.

    Kamal Nasser
    Minister of Political Development and Legal Affairs
    --------------------------------------------- ------

    ¶33. (C) Of Palestinian origin, Nasser was born in the village
    of Ramin (near Nablus) in 1944. His BA is in law from
    Damascus University (1966), and his MA and PhD in maritime
    law are from Cairo University (1980). Nasser served as
    president of the Jordanian Bar Association for two
    consecutive terms in the 1990s, and was appointed Minister of
    Administrative Development in 1996. He has ties to the
    Palestinian Fatah movement, and was reported to be its
    candidate for the Bar Association head. He is active on
    human rights issues.

    Muzahim Muhaisin
    Minister of Agriculture
    -----------------------

    ¶34. (SBU/NF) An East Banker, Muhaisin was born in Amman in
    ¶1948. He has a BSc in civil engineering from Ein Shams
    University in Cairo (1973). He was an assistant to the head
    of the Aqaba Regulatory Commission and later became the head
    of the commission's Land Department. He was Secretary
    General of the Aqaba Regional Authority from 1992 to 1997,
    and then became the Secretary General of the Ministry of Post
    and Telecommunications, which he left in 1999. After serving
    two years as the Director General of the Vocational Training
    Corporation, he was appointed as Minister of Labor in 2001.
    After surviving several cabinet shuffles during this period,
    Muhaisin was appointed as Minister of Agriculture in 2005.

    Bassem Roussan
    Minister of Information and Communication Technology
    --------------------------------------------- -------

    ¶35. (SBU/NF) An East Banker, Roussan was born in Amman in
    ¶1947. His BA is from Ein Shams University and MA is from
    Southern Methodist University, both in electrical
    engineering. Roussan served in the Jordanian air force
    communications department before joining FastLink (now Zain),
    a communications company and Jordan's first and leading
    provider of mobile phone services, in 1997. He served there
    as head of the engineering department and later as a vice
    president. Roussan was appointed as Minister of
    Telecommunications and Information Technology in 2006.

    Maha Khatib
    Minister of Tourism and Antiquities
    -----------------------------------

    ¶36. (C) An East Banker and former UNDP staffer and head of
    the Jordan River Foundation (a royally sponsored NGO), Khatib
    was considered for several previous cabinet positions. Note:
    She was originally offered a new ministry to direct project
    implementation, but was shifted to Tourism and Antiquities
    after Suhair Al-Ali turned down the Tourism Portfolio and
    retained Planning (which was to have been combined with
    Finance). End note. She is well connected in government
    circles, and is close to Queen Rania. Khatib has a BA in
    English literature from the University of Jordan and an MA in
    public administration from the American University of Beirut.
    After a brief professorial stint, Khatib joined the Ministry
    of Planning as the chief of its privatization unit.

    Hamad Kasasbeh
    Minister of Finance
    -------------------

    ¶37. (SBU/NF) Kasasbeh returns as Minister of Finance only, a
    post he assumed in September following the resignation of the
    previous minister over the GOJ's failure to lift fuel
    subsidies. Kasasbeh is an East Banker born in Karak in 1956.
    He earned a BA (1980) in Economics and a Masters in
    Statistics (1983) from the University of Jordan. He has a PhD
    in Economics from Colombia University (1990). Kasasbeh
    worked as an economic researcher and advisor at the Central
    Bank from 1980-1996, then was appointed General Manager of
    the Municipal Development Bank and served there until 1999.
    He authored fourteen publications in the field of finance and

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    taught at the University of Jordan. He was Secretary General
    of the Auditing Bureau from 1999 until 2003, when he became
    Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance. Kasasbeh, an

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    experienced technocrat, favors elimination of Jordan's
    subsidy programs, and will be tasked with implementing tough
    economic reform measures amidst growing inflation a nd rising
    prices for basic commodities.

    Suhair Al-Ali
    Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
    --------------------------------------------- -----

    ¶38. (C) Of Palestinian origin and the only woman in the
    previous Bakhit cabinet, Al-Ali holds a master's degree in
    development economics from Georgetown University. She served
    as general manager of the Saudi American Bank Representative
    Office from 1993 until 1996, when she became general manager
    and country officer of Citigroup in Jordan. She served as
    Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in the
    last cabinet; she was to move to the Ministry of Tourism and
    Antiquities but resisted and secured her previous job.
    Al-Ali is married to Royal Jordanian Airlines senior
    executive Hussein Dabbas; the couple has two children. She
    is fluent in English.

    Salah Mawajdeh
    Minister of Health
    ------------------

    ¶39. (SBU/NF) Mawajdeh returns as Minister of Health from the
    previous cabinet, which he joined in September. Mawajdeh is
    an East Banker born in Amman in 1957. He studied medicine at
    the University of Jordan and later received his masters and
    doctorate degrees in Health Policy and Management from Johns
    Hopkins University. Mawajdeh has worked in several roles in
    the health sector since 1983. He published more than 20
    scientific and books and papers and participated in numerous
    seminars worldwide. In 1994, he was awarded the WHO Gender
    and Tropical Diseases Award for his paper "The Assessment of
    the Quality of Parental Care in Irbid, North Jordan: Women's
    Perspective." Mawajdeh served as Director of the Jordan Food
    and Drug Administration and as Regional Coordinator of the
    Reproductive Health Working Group in the Population Council
    in Cairo.

    Raed Abu Saud
    Minister of Water and Irrigation
    --------------------------------

    ¶40. (C/NF) A Palestinian-origin Jordanian born in Amman in
    1957, Abu Saud has a BA in civil engineering from the
    University of Miami. He was the head of the administration
    and water unit at the Ministry of Water from 2000 to 2003,
    and directly supervised the rehabilitation of Amman's water
    networks. He previously served as Minister of Public Works
    and Minister of Housing. He was a crony of ex-GID Director
    Saad Khayr, now in disgrace.

    Shehadeh Abu Hdeib
    Minister of Municipal Affairs
    -----------------------------

    ¶41. (SBU/NF) Abu Hdeib has a BS in civil engineering from the
    University of Texas. He has worked in various positions in
    the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the Amman Municipality.
    From 2000 to 2004, he was the director general of the Petra
    Region Authority. Since 2004, Abu Hdeib has served as the
    director general of the Housing and Urban Development
    Corporation.
    Hale

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