Transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa announced on Sunday, March 30, the formation of a new transitional government composed of 23 ministers in an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the Syrian capital Damascus. There were no changes in the two sovereign ministries: Asaad Al-Sheibani remained Minister of Foreign Affairs and Marhaf Abu Qasra Minister of Defense. In line with the new principles of the constitutional declaration, signed by the Syrian President on March 13, the political figure of the Prime Minister was abolished and his functions were delegated to the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, who will be given executive power. As a result, Mohammad al Bashir no longer holds the role of Prime Minister. However, given his close ties to the Syrian President, he has now been appointed Minister of Energy.
Significant appointments include: the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Hind Qabawat, the only woman and Christian with dual Syrian and Canadian nationality, known for her strong opposition to the Assad regime (she was a member of the Syrian opposition) and for her professional career and activism in the fight for women’s emancipation, as well as against violence against women in Syria; the Druze Amjad Badr designated Minister of Agriculture for his important scientific research in the agricultural sector as a researcher at the Suwayda Research Center; the appointment of the Alawite Yaarub Badr as Minister of Transport, as an expert in the sector, who, among other things, during the era of the Baathist regime, had held the same position (from 2006 to 2011).
Unlike previous appointments, which were often dominated by military figures, the new government is composed of technical experts in their respective fields of expertise. This approach emphasizes scientific and technical expertise, a crucial aspect to address the country’s challenges. The academic training of new ministers has often taken place in countries such as France, Germany and the United States, which suggests a commitment to internationalization and the adoption of global standards. This is particularly relevant in a context where Syria seeks to strengthen its institutions and improve international cooperation. Therefore, the formation of the new government can be seen as a concrete step in the attempt to improve Syria’s relations with the West. The aim is to gain the trust that the Syrian state now needs to ensure the economic development of the country, in an attempt to become an attractive hub of international interest for investments in different sectors.
However, one should not lose sight of those appointments that reflect al Sharaa’s initial approach, based on loyalty and trust from key jihadists and leading figures within HTS; a criterion that aims to consolidate his internal political power and that characterized the previous interim government. Reference is made to the retention of three al Sharaa loyalists within the new government: Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani, Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra, and the newly appointed Interior Minister Anas Khattab, who was previously assigned to head the Syrian Intelligence Service. All three are said to have a close relationship with al Jawlani and, at the same time, played an important role within the al Nusra Front and then in the Idlib Salvation Government led by HTS. In particular, Arab media sources suggest that al Shaibani is one of the founders of the al Nusra Front together with al-Sharaa, with whom he is said to share a close alliance. Qasra is known to be an expert in reconnaissance systems, night combat and drones, so much so that he led the military wing of HTS for five years and is said to be faithfully aligned with al Sharaa’s political thinking.
Finally, local sources report that Khattab (also known as Abu Ahmad Hudoud, a name given to him during his time in Al Qaeda under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi) founded and led the intelligence security service in the Salvation Government, as well as having served as al Jawlani’s deputy. He has often been accused of having given information to Washington on the location of his jihadist rivals, mostly militants from Hurras al Din (in Italian the Guardians of Religion, which was affiliated with Al Qaeda and was dissolved last January), killed by American drones. Finally, let us remember that Khattab was designated a terrorist by the United States in 2012 and by the United Nations in 2014. We should also not miss the appointment of Mazhar al-Wais to the Ministry of Justice as, in addition to having a degree in Medicine from the University of Damascus, he studied at the Department of Islamic Sharia Law. He has worked in the revolutionary judicial bodies and was a founding member since 2013, also contributing to the establishment of the Ministry of Justice in the Idlib Salvation Government.
He was a member of the Supreme Judicial Council from 2017 until the liberation of Damascus. In this regard, it is worth recalling that, before Assad’s removal, in the areas under HTS administration, Syrian citizens often gathered in massive demonstrations to demand the release of their relatives, detained in HTS prisons on unsubstantiated charges of having had contact with the SDF and government members.
The future plan of the new government: building a new Syria based on the principles of unity and justice
President al-Shara’a stated, during the government announcement ceremony, that Syria is witnessing the birth of a new phase in its national journey, stressing that “the country is facing great challenges that require unity and cohesion.” He added that the formation of the new government is a declaration of the common will to build a new state. This government will seek to rebuild state institutions based on accountability and transparency and open up new horizons in education and healthcare, adding: “We will not allow corruption to infiltrate our institutions.” Al-Sharaa stressed that the government’s future plan will be based on a series of fundamentals that aim to develop Syrian society economically and industrially, such as safeguarding and developing human resources, rehabilitating industry and protecting the national product, creating an environment that encourages investment in all sectors, reforming the monetary situation, strengthening the Syrian currency and preventing manipulation. The Syrian president also stressed the importance of focusing on protecting citizens and promoting stability, noting that a ministry dedicated to sports and youth has been established, in recognition of the important role of young people.
Rojava Opposition
Within the new government, there is a Kurd designated as Minister of Education, Mohammad Abd al-Rahman Turko, but he is not affiliated with the AANES, despite recent agreements between Syrian President Al Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on the integration of Kurdish forces into the state and military apparatus under the aegis of the Ministry of Defense. In this context, the Autonomous Administration, the political umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has harshly criticized the new Syrian government because, similarly to its predecessor, it has failed to take into account Syria’s ethnic diversity. Instead, it has continued to maintain a one-party grip on government and has failed to ensure fair and genuine representation for all components of the Syrian people. In fact, the Shiite minority has also been excluded from political representation, and this political approach, in the long run, can fuel the current sectarian tensions within Syrian society. In the statement released, AANES continued “these policies, which the government of Damascus insists on pursuing, mean a return to square one, with a party that monopolizes power and excludes Syrian components and factions from the political process and the management of the country’s affairs. This contradicts the goals for which Syrians rose up in their revolution and the change they aspire to.” The Autonomous Administration argues that any government that does not reflect the diversity and pluralism present in Syria will not be able to properly govern the country and emerge from the crisis it is going through. This will only worsen the crisis and will not eliminate the causes that led to its outbreak. Therefore, the Rojava government refuses to submit to the decisions of the new Syrian government.
Cristina Uccello
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