Jordan’s King Abdullah replaced eight ministers on Thursday, state media said, in the fifth reshuffle to the government since it was appointed two years ago.
All significant powers in Jordan lie with the king, with the role of the 26-member cabinet an administrative one.
The main portfolios of finance, foreign affairs and interior were not changed.
Zeina Toukan, a former Royal Court official, was appointed minister of planning and Khuloud Al Saqqaf, a former Central Bank official, was appointed as investment minister.
Former education minister Azmi Al Mahafzah returned to his old job. The minister of social development, as well as several ministers of state were also changed.
The cabinet shrank by two members in the latest reshuffle as the labour ministry was merged with the industry, trade and supply ministry and the transport ministry was merged with the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.
The kingdom has had at least a dozen governments since King Abdullah succeeded his father, the late King Hussein, in 1999. Cabinet shake-ups are also frequent.
The last reshuffle was last October, when a new energy minister and government spokesman were brought in.
Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh, who was appointed by the monarch in October 2020, announced the reshuffle of the cabinet he heads on Thursday to improve his administration's performance under International Monetary Fund-guided economic reforms.
The British-educated former veteran diplomat and palace aide was appointed two years ago to restore public trust over the handling of Covid-19.
Mr Al Khasawneh has sought to accelerate reforms pushed by King Abdullah to help the oil importing country reverse a decade of sluggish growth hovering at around 2 per cent that was worsened by the pandemic and conflict in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.
The government last summer unveiled a plan to attract more than $40 billion of investments over the next 10 years.
It said it was committed to implementing free market reforms that businessmen say were thwarted under previous conservative administrations.
The traditional conservative establishment had long been blamed for obstructing a modernisation drive pushed by the western-leaning monarch, fearing liberal reforms will erode their grip on power.
Reuters contributed to this report
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
The view from The National
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
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