Syrian Prez Ahmed al-Sharaa forms transitional govt with diverse cabinet

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has announced the formation of a transitional government, appointing 23 ministers in a diverse new cabinet, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

According to Al Jazeera, the government, which was revealed on Saturday, includes Yarub Badr, an Alawite, as transport minister, while Amgad Badr from the Druze community will oversee the agriculture ministry.

"The formation of a new government today is a declaration of our joint will to build a new state," al-Sharaa stated in a speech as quoted by Al Jazeer,a commemorating its establishment. 

Unlike traditional structures, the government will not have a prime minister, with al-Sharaa expected to directly lead the executive branch.

al-Sharaa also aims to demonstrate that the new administration represents Syria's diverse population, while critics had previously accused him of appointing only close associates to ministerial positions in the caretaker government, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Syria's leadership has faced mounting pressure from Western and Arab nations to form a government that reflects the country's ethnic and religious diversity, especially after the recent killings of hundreds of Alawite civilians on Syria's western coast.

For the first time, a woman, Hind Kabawat, a Christian opposition figure and long-time critic of Bashar al-Assad, has been appointed as minister of social affairs and labour, Al Jazeera reported.

Mohammed Yosr Bernieh will take over the finance ministry, while Murhaf Abu Qasra and Asaad al-Shibani, who previously held the positions of defence and foreign ministers, will continue in their roles.

Since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December, Syria has been governed by a caretaker cabinet under al-Sharaa. After being named interim president in January, he pledged to establish an inclusive transitional government to rebuild Syria's institutions and manage the country until elections, which he estimated could take up to five years.

In a significant move, al-Sharaa also announced the creation of a ministry for emergency situations and disasters, appointing Raed al-Saleh, the leader of the White Helmets rescue organisation, to head it.

Earlier this month, Syria introduced a constitutional declaration to outline the framework for the interim period under al-Sharaa's leadership.