Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Press release on first unified Cabinet for the Kurdistan Regional Government

PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES UNITY CABINET, PLEDGES A GOVERNMENT THAT CARES, PROTECTS, RESPECTS AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES

Erbil, Kurdistan, 7 May 2006 (KRG) - In a historic address to the Kurdistan National Assembly, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today presented the Region’s first unified Cabinet, and pledged to create a government which “Cares about all its citizens without discrimination, protects each and everyone in the Kurdistan Region, provides equal opportunity for all, and which respects the social, political and religious diversity of the Region.” With Iraqi federal government officials, ambassadors from the US and several other countries, and Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani in attendance, the newly-elected cabinet was ratified by the KNA and took its oath of office. Prime Minister Barzani promised a government characterized by transparency and accountability, and one which will be modern and forward looking. The priorities of the new government will be agricultural development, improving water and electricity availability, upgrading education, opening new areas of growth in the private sector, and encouraging direct foreign investment in the Region. “Our economy cannot progress without major developments in the private sector. Increasing work opportunities – more jobs and higher paying jobs – increases the purchasing power of our people,” noted the Prime Minister. On the important matter of Kirkuk and other areas taken from the Kurdistan Region, the Prime Minister promised that, “we shall recover peacefully through the democratic process and under the rule of law. All actions will be in accordance with the Constitution of Iraq.” The Prime Minister also placed a new emphasis on matters of human rights, women’s rights and social justice, and called for modern and effective new measures to ensure that all citizens of the Kurdistan region participate fully in civic and political life. “The Kurdistan Regional Government is a government for everyone. It will support the legitimate demands and rights of every person of every segment in society.” In paying solemn tribute to the fallen heroes of Kurdistan and to those who have suffered at the hands of the Ba’ath regime in Baghdad, the Prime Minister looked ahead and noted that, “Although we live in a troublesome region of the world, we have been, and will continue to be a factor for peace, stability and friendship.” The Prime Minister reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s “support and cooperation with the Federal Government to rebuild and develop Iraq.” He added, “the country must be run in a constitutional manner. The Constitution of Iraq gives the Kurdistan Region the right to run its own affairs; we have to protect these rights and make certain they are followed and made permanent.” In his speech, the Prime Minister called for several Constitutional articles to be implemented including the use of Kurdish as the official second language of Iraq, an equitable budget for Iraq and fully organizing the KRG representatives abroad. Prime Minister Barzani also committed his government to addressing the problems of corruption and announced that the government will create a special commission to examine the issue of corruption and to create an atmosphere “where action is taken with neither fear nor hesitation.”

THE LIST OF NEW CABINET MEMBERS:

This is the full list of ministers in the Kurdistan Regional Government as of 7 May 2006.
Nechirvan Idris Barzani
Prime Minister

Omer Fattah Hussain
Deputy Prime Minister

Osman Haji Mahmoud
Min for the Interior

Abdul Karim Sultan Shingali
Min of State for the Interior

Sarkis Aghajan Mamendu
Min for Finance

Bayiz Saeed Mohammad
Min of State for Finance

Farooq Jamil Sadiq
Min of Justice

Azad Izaddin Mala Afandi
Min of State for Justice

Omar Osman Ibrahim
Min for Peshmerga Affairs

Jafar Mustafa Ali
Min of State for Peshmerga Affairs

Burhan Saeed Sofi
Min for Transport

Dilshad Abdul Rahman Mohammad
Min for Education

Dr Abdul Rahman Osman Younis
Min for Health

Adnan Mohammad Qadir
Min for Social Affairs

Mohammad Ahmad Saeed Shakaly
Min for Religious Affairs

Tahsin Qadir Ali
Min for Water Resources

Imad Ahmad Sayfour
Min for Reconstruction and Housing

Osman Ismail Hassan
Min for Planning

Yousif Mohammad Aziz
Min for Human Rights

Idris Hadi Salih
Min for Higher Education and Scientific Research

Abdul-Aziz Tayeb
Min for Agriculture

Mrs Chinar Sa’ad Abdullah
Min for Martyrs and Victims of Anfal

Falak-Addin Kakayee
Min for Culture

Hushyar Abdul Rahman Siwaily
Min for Electricity

Dr Ashtee Hawramy
Min for Natural Resources

Mrs Nazanin Mohammad Waso
Min for Municipalities

Taha Abdul Rahman Ali
Min for Sport and Youth

Dr Mohammad Ihsan
Min for Regions outside the Kurdistan Region

Mohammad Raoof Mohammad
Min for Trade

Widad Khurshid Osman
Min for Industry

Dara Mohammad Amin
Min for the Environment

Namrood Bithiu
Min for Tourism

Haydar Shekh Ali
Min for Communication

Abubakir Ali
Min for the Region

Dr Jinan Qasim
Min for the Region

George Yousif Mansoor
Min for the Region

Dr Dakhil Saeed Qasim
Min for the Region

Mohammad Haji Mahmood
Min for the Region

Mohmood Eido
Min for the Region

Madhat Mandalawy
Min for the Region

Sa’ad Khalid Mohammad Amin
Min for the Region

Abdul Latif Bandar Oghloo
Min for the Region

(SOURCE: WWW.KRG.ORG)

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