Iraqi Parliament approves partial cabinet reshuffle
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. File photo.
(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – A source in the Iraqi Parliament on Monday informed that the Parliament approved a partial Cabinet reshuffle today, which is in accordance to the part of a set of reforms proposed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
Quoting Parliament spokesman Emad al-Khafaji the source said that the lawmakers endorsed nominees to head five ministries that include Oil, Water Resources, Higher Education, Transportation and Housing and Construction.
“The new ministers were sworn in but the lawmakers rejected a sixth nominee for the trade portfolio,” said the source quoting Khafaji.
Quoting government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi, the source further informed, “All the nominees are independent technocrats, specialists and have experience in the fields they were chosen for. Today’s move will improve government performance.”
It may be mentioned here that shortly after taking office in 2014, PM Abadi proposed reforms to combat corruption, cut government spending and merge ministries and he hoped to replace political appointees with independent technocrats who could improve public services, which rapidly deteriorated following the 2003 US-led invasion.