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Syria Announces First Cabinet Reshuffle Since Assad Ouster, State Media Reports
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued late-night decrees published by SANA announcing a cabinet reshuffle. The changes include new appointments in Information and Agriculture ministries, as well as replacements of provincial governors and the presidency’s secretary-general, marking the first reshuffle since Assad’s ouster amid economic critique.
Why It Matters
The reshuffle signals a significant shift in the administration during the ongoing transitional period and comes amid public discontent over economic conditions, potentially affecting Syria’s governance and international perception.
Timeline
1 Event
First cabinet reshuffle since Assad ouster announced by state media
May 10, 2026
Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued late-night presidential decrees published by the state news agency SANA, announcing a cabinet reshuffle. Khaled Zaarour was appointed Information Minister, replacing Hamza Mustafa, who was moved to the Foreign Ministry. Bassel Sweidan was named Agriculture Minister and will head a committee tasked with reaching settlement agreements with business tycoons linked to the Assad-era elite. Governors were replaced in Homs, al-Quneitra, and Deir Ezzor, the latter being the eastern province housing most of Syria's oil fields. A new secretary-general for the presidency was appointed, a post previously held by one of Sharaa's brothers, drawing criticism from opponents who accused the administration of nepotism. The changes are described as the first reshuffle since Assad's ouster and come during a period described as the five-year transitional timeline, with no official explanation given for the changes.