No room for weakness, slowdown or hesitation, Razzaz tells new team

AMMAN — The Cabinet reshuffle that was approved by a Royal Decree on Thursday aims at enhancing the government’s performance and boosting teamwork in preparation for a new phase of work to address challenges, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said on Thursday.

Razzaz, during a special Cabinet session following the latest shake-up, said that the reshuffle followed the assessment and follow up on the performance and magnitude of achievement of all ministries and ministers, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier directed the ministerial team to exert dedicated efforts and keenness for field work, stressing that there is “no room for weakness, slowdown or hesitation”, and that every member of the government is responsible for improving the level of public work and developing procedures and services.

The prime minister stressed that the government will intensify efforts to create a comprehensive health insurance umbrella that covers all social classes that are currently deprived of such services.

As for economic challenges, he said that facing such obstacles requires developing plans related to attracting and encouraging investment, opening new scopes for the Jordanian economy, expanding the base of projects that generate jobs and reducing the unemployment rate. 

Razzaz also urged taking advantage of the unprecedented opportunities provided by developments in the digital economy, through adopting the necessary policies to build digital skills among the youth.

The premier said that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship will be tasked with contributing to building e-platforms and creating the legislative, financial and simulative systems necessary for entrepreneurship and innovation to prosper, referring to the achievements of the Jordanian youth in the sector. 

As for the Ministry of Local Administration, the prime minister said that it will be tasked with developing the role of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, so as to focus its efforts on realising local development and improving the decentralisation experiment at the administration and development levels.

Also during Thusday’s special session, the Cabinet decided to form the committee of institutional performance development and digital transformation under the chairmanship of the prime minister and the economic development committee, chaired by the deputy prime minister.

The Cabinet also formed its legal committee, chaired by the justice minister, and the panel on services, infrastructure and social affairs with the minister of education and higher education as its chairperson, according to Petra.

The Cabinet also created its economic team, headed by the prime minister, and named Labour Minister Nidal Bataineh as head of the civil service council.