Tunisian PM declares wide cabinet reshuffle

TUNIS, Tunisia

Prime Minister Yusuf al-Shahid declared Wednesday a cabinet reshuffle affecting 13 ministries out of 25, including interior, defense and finance.

The Tunisian premier has brought back the former defense minister in the previous government, Abdul-Karim al-Zubaidi, to succeed Farhat al-Harshani.

He also handed over the portfolio of Interior Ministry to the Tunisian gendarmerie commander Lotfi Brahem who replaced Hedi Majdoub.

The ministries affected by the reshuffle and the names of new ministers are as follows:

Interior Minister: Lotfi Brahem

Minister of Defense: Abdul-Karim al-Zubaidi

Minister of Finance: Ridha Chalghoum

Minister of Investment and International Cooperation: Ziad al-Athari

Minister of Education: Hatem Ben Salem

Minister of Health: Saleem Shaker

Minister of Employment and Vocational Training: Fawzi Abdel Rahman

Minister of Transport: Radwan Ayyara

Minister of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises: Imad al-Hamami

Ministry of Commerce: Omar al-Bahi

Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies: Khaled Kadour

Minister in charge of major reforms: Tawfiq al-Rajhi

Minister of State Property: Mabrouk Kursheed

Late in August 2016, Prime Minister Yusuf al-Shahid’s government officially assumed its ruling mandate from the outgoing government of former PM Habib Essid at a handover ceremony held in the city of Carthage.

The al-Shahid government was the eighth to assume power in Tunisia since the country was rocked by a popular uprising in late 2010/early 2011.

Reporting by Yousry Wannas; Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg