By John Lee.
Iraq's parliament on Thursday approved the government programme of Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi and confirmed 14 of his ministerial nominees, ending months of political deadlock following the November general election.
Parliament Speaker Haibet al-Halbousi opened the session with 270 of 329 lawmakers present.
The 14 ministers approved were:
- Foreign Affairs: Fuad Hussein (retained from previous government)
- Justice: Khalid Shawani [Khaled Shwani] (retained from previous government)
- Oil: Basim Mohammed [Basim Muhammad Khudhair al-Abadi] (previously deputy oil minister)
- Finance: Faleh Sari
- Communications: Mustafa Jabbar Sanad
- Industry: Mohammed Nouri Ahmed [Muhammad Nouri Ahmad al-Karbouli]
- Electricity: Ali Saad Wahib
- Health: Abdulhussein Aziz
- Environment: Sarwa Abdul-Wahid
- Agriculture: Abdul-Rahim Jassim
- Water Resources: Muthanna Ali Mahdi Al Tamimi
- Trade: Mustafa Nizar Jumaa
- Education: Abdul Karim Abtan
- Transport: Wahab Salman Mohammed
The chamber rejected the nominees for the ministries of Planning (Ahmed Nazim Najm), Culture (Ibrahim Al-Nams), Construction and Housing (Ribaz Mohammed), Higher Education (Amer Hassan Hashoush), and Interior (Qasim Atta), leaving nine portfolios still to be filled when parliament reconvenes after the Eid Al Adha holidays.
Al-Zaidi was subsequently sworn in as Prime Minister.
(Source: Iraqi Parliament)
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