Syrian president approves 34-member cabinet

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Wednesday issued Decree No. 273 endorsing the formation of the new government led, by Prime Minister Dr. Wael Nader al-Halaqi.
The 34-member lineup includes 21 ministers who got their terms in office renewed including the sovereign portfolios, according to SANA news agency.
Following is a list of the cabinet members: General Fahed Jassem al-Freij - Minister of Defense, Walid al-Moallem - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Omar Ibrahim Ghalawanji - Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs, Minister of Local Administration, Dr. Mohammad Abdelsattar al-Sayyed - Minister of Religious Endowments, Mansour Fadlallah Azzam - Presidential Affairs Minister, Lt. Gen. Mohammad Ibrahim al-Sha'ar - Interior Minister, Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis - Electricity Minister, Dr. Hazwan al-Waz - Education Minister, Omran Ahed al-Zoubi - Information Minister, Najm Hamad al-Ahmad - Justice Minister, Hussein Arnous - Public Works Minister, Ahmad al-Qadiri - Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Minister, Sleiman al-Abbas - Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister, Dr. Ismail Ismail - Finance Minister, Dr. Kinda al-Shammat - Social Affairs Minister, Kamal Eddin Taameh - Industry Minister, Bishr Riyad al-Yazigi - Tourism Minister, Dr. Humam al-Jazaeri - Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Mohammad Amer Mardini - Higher Education Minister, Dr. Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali - Communications and Technology Minister, Dr. Kamal al-Sheikha - Water Resources Minister, Dr. Hassan al-Nouri - Administrative Development Minister, Mohammad Walid Ghazal - Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr. Khalaf Sleiman al-Abdullah - Labor Minister, Dr. Ghazwan Kheir Bek - Transport Minister, Dr. Nizar Wehbe Yazigi - Health Minister, Hassan Safiye - Internal Trade and Consumer Protection Minister, Issam Khalil - Culture Minister, Dr. Ali Haidar - State Minister for National Reconciliation Affairs, Dr. Nazira Serkis - State Minister for Environment Affairs, Abdullah Khalil Hussein - State Minister, Jamal Shaaban Shahin - State Minister, Hassib Elias Shammas - State Minister, And Dr. Mohammad Muti'a Moayyad - State Minister.
On August 10 President Al-Assad reassigned Dr. Wael Nader al-Halaqi the task of forming the new government.