Syria's new government unveiled as President al-Sharaa pledges national rebuilding

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the formation of a new government on March 29 evening, confirming his commitment to "building a strong and stable state."

In the reshuffled cabinet, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Defence Minister Marhaf Abu Qusra retained their positions, while General Intelligence Directorate Chief Anas Khattab was appointed Interior Minister, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Other key appointments include: Mazhar Abdul Rahman al-Wais as Justice Minister, Mohammed Abu al-Khair Shukri as Minister of Endowments, and Mohammed Abdul Rahman Turko as Minister of Education. Furthermore, Mohammed al-Bashir has taken on the Energy Ministry, while Hind Kabawat has been appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Labour.

The new government also sees the appointment of ministers to other key areas: Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh, Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, Health Minister Musab Al-Ali, and Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Marwan al-Halabi, among others.

President al-Sharaa, who assumed office in December 2024, swore in the 23 new ministers during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Damascus.

A New Era for Syria

In a speech at the ceremony, al-Sharaa declared: "We are currently witnessing the birth of a new phase in our history." He emphasized that the new government would focus on reform and national reconstruction.

"We will work together to build a homeland worthy of every sacrifice," he said, underlining that "we will not allow corruption to infiltrate our institutions."

The president also outlined the government's focus on military rebuilding: "We will build a national army to defend the country." Furthermore, he touched upon the future plan to streamline energy resources, stating: "We have merged the Ministries of Electricity, Oil, and Gas under the Ministry of Energy and are committed to providing electricity around the clock."

Efforts for National Unity

The formation of the new cabinet, initially expected to be announced in March, comes at a time when the international community has called for a comprehensive transitional process in Syria.

The new government aims to reunite Syria and rebuild its institutions after the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad. Following Assad's removal in December 2024, a caretaker administration had been handling day-to-day affairs in anticipation of a new government.

After being named transitional president in January, al-Sharaa is now overseeing the five-year transitional period following nearly 14 years of civil war. Elections are expected to take place based on a new constitution once the transitional period concludes.

By Aghakazim Guliyev