Prime Minister Najib Mikati
Finally Lebanon has a new government after 13 months of political bickering over the shape, form, and size of a new cabinet. The country is experiencing its worst economic and financial crisis, new coronavirus cases are surging, and many Lebanese have no power, gas or food.
The new government, headed by wealthy tycoon Najib Mikati, is made up of 24 ministers. Al Arabiya English breaks down who’s who in what will be Mikati’s third government.
Mikati is on path to become a three-time prime minister. The billionaire is annually listed as one of the Arab world’s wealthiest businessmen. He has previously been close to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, and his investment company most recently announced the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in Myanmar’s telecoms sector.
Al-Shami previously worked for the MENA desk at the IMF and served on Lebanon’s Capital Markets Authority.
Bou Habib was the Lebanese ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 1990. He also worked for the World Bank as an economist and as an advisor.
Slim is a retired Brigadier General who previously served at the head of the military hospital.
Khalil was a senior official at the Central Bank of Lebanon and reportedly the architect of Lebanon’s infamous “financial engineering.”
Mawlawi is a judge from north Lebanon.
Abiad rose to national prominence after the coronavirus outbreak in Lebanon. He is the manager and CEO of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, which became Lebanon’s leading hospital in treating COVID-19 patients.
Fayad is the Managing Director for the MENA region at Partners in Performance. He has previously worked in senior roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and McKinsey.
Khoury is a retired judge and formerly was the head of the Shura Council.
Salam is a lawyer who describes himself as an “International Law & Economic Development Executive.” DC-based professionals voiced their skepticism over Salam’s appointment to such a key ministry, which will be dealing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a bailout and restructuring debt for Lebanon. He’s also the VP for Business Development for the National- US Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC).
Hamie is a professor in optical telecommunications. According to his LinkedIn and Twitter, Hamie says he is a telecom expert in the Lebanese Parliament, a quality assurance specialist and a cybersecurity specialist. He holds French citizenship and is one of two Hezbollah-appointed ministers.
Hajjar is a dentist by trade and has formed several organizations to serve underprivileged communities and those with special needs.
Halabi is a former judge and on the Board of Directors and Legal Counsel at the Bank of Beirut and the Arab Countries (BBAC)
Kordahi is a media personality, and TV presenter who became the first Arab presenter of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in Arabic.
Bayram has served in the government at various levels since 1998.
The sole representative for the Lebanese-Armenian community, Bojikian, is a businessman who was the CEO of several companies in Lebanon and the Middle East. He also holds Canadian citizenship.
Hajj Hassan was educated in France and worked as a journalist in Paris for France 24.
Kallas is a professor and media expert.
Assaker, the sole woman in the 24-member cabinet, is a career diplomat who has served in several capacities at the Foreign Ministry. She has been posted to various posts in Geneva, the Vatican and Turkey.
Yassin is a professor of Policy and Planning at the American University of Beirut. Yassin is considered one of the few independents of Mikati’s government.
Nassar is a civil engineer and businessman who previously worked in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He was also the president of the Lebanese Basketball Federation from 2013 to 2016.
One of two Druze ministers in the government, Chehayeb, was a pharmacist before turning to the industrial sector.
