Lebanon unveils new government headed by Hassan Diab

Crisis-hit Lebanon’s nearly three-month wait for a new government ended on Tuesday when a line-up led by Prime Minister Hassan Diab was announced at the presidential palace.

A government official read out the 20 names in a brief address after President Michel Aoun signed off on the names, agreed on after more than a month of tense negotiations.

The new prime minister Diab vowed that his newly-unveiled government would strive to meet the demands of a three-month-old protest movement demanding radical change.

“This is a government that represents the aspirations of the demonstrators who have been mobilized nationwide for more than three months,” he said, moments after the line-up was read out at the presidential palace.

He said his government “will strive to meet their demands for an independent judiciary, for the recovery of embezzled funds, for the fight against illegal gains.”

New cabinet

Prime Minister: Hassan Diab

Deputy PM and Defense: Zeina Akar

Interior: Mohamed Fahmi

Justice: Marie-Claude Najm

Finance: Ghazi Wazni

Foreign Affairs: Nassif Hitti

Environment and Administrative Development: Damianos Kattar

Telecommunications: Talal Hawat

Economy Minister: Raoul Nehme

Industry Minister: Imad Hoballah

Public Works: Michel Najjar

Labor Minister: Lamia Yammine

Energy Minister: Raymond Ghajar

Social Affairs and Tourism Minister: Ramzi Mousharrafiyeh

Youth and Sports Minister: Varte Ohanian

Education Minister: Tarek Majzoub

Health Minister: Hamad Hassan

Agriculture and Culture Minister: Abbas Mortada

Displaced: Ghada Shreim

Information Minister: Manal Abdel Samad