Prime Minister Announces New 'Technocrat' Cabinet

By John Lee.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi nominated a new cabinet on Thursday, pledging to make political reforms to reduce corruption in response to sit-in protests in Baghdad led by Muqtada al-Sadr.

Sixteen ministries will be changed, and the parliament will vote in ten days to either approve, reject or amend the proposed cabinet.

No changes will be made in the defense nor interior ministries, as Abadi believes reshuffling them during a time of war could be problematic.

The proposals are:

• Ali Alawi - Minister of Finance.
• Nzar Salim - Minister of Oil.
• Sharif Ali bn Ali - Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• Ali Jabouri - Minister of Education.
• Ali Mubarak - Minister of Health.
• Hassan Janabi - Minister of Oil and Water Resources.
• Aqil Yousif - Minister of Youth and Culture.
• Hoshiyar Amin - Minister of Municipality and Reconstruction.
• Yousif Assadi - Minister of Transportation.
• Mohammed Nasrollah - Minister of Justice.
• Ala Dashir - Minister of Electricity.
• Wafa Mahdawi - Minister of Immigration and Displacement.

(Sources: Middle East Eye, Rudaw)