Iraq's new government meets to discuss security

Iraq's new cabinet had its first meeting today, to address some of the country ongoing problems. After a record breaking nine months of political deadlock, Iraqi parliament voted a new team of minister into office on Tuesday 21st December.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, responsible for selecting the new cabinet members, met with his ministers this morning. Al-Maliki's advisor, Ali Moussawi, said that the prime minister met with his new team this morning to “to tell them that his three top priorities are security, public services, especially electricity, and relations with neighbouring countries."

After months of political wrangling among Iraq's main factions, the Iraqi parliament unanimously approved Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's 43 selected appointees for the cabinet. But the ministries, on Maliki's priority list, including security and electricity, currently have only acting heads.

For the time being, Maliki has assumed the role of the acting head for the ministries of defence, interior and national security, responsible for ensuring security after the pending withdrawal of US troops by the end of 2011.

The newly appointed cabinet and lawmakers face the difficult task of working together to rebuild the war-torn country, improve security and stabilise the economy. Only time will tell whether Iraq can stand on its own two feet independently.

Sources: AFP, The Independent, Guardian

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.

Iraqi parliament approves new cabinet, after a nine month deadlock

The Iraqi parliament has unanimously approved Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki's 43 selected appointees for the country's cabinet, a record breaking nine month after the parliamentary elections.

After months of political wrangling among the country's main factions, the parliament has finally agreed a unity government consisting of representative from the Kurdish, Sunni and Shi'a blocs. The parliament approved three deputy prime ministers, 29 other cabinet ministers and the new government programme. It also approved nine remaining interim ministers, and agreed that control of the three security portfolios should rest with al-Maliki.

Speaking about the delay in nominating the remaining ministers, al-Maliki said “I need more time to choose better, and I will continue to study the (resumes) to be able to choose on the basis of efficiency and professionalism." He also said that one of the reasons for the delay was the apparent lack of women candidates, adding “I find myself obliged... to wait for the political entities to present women candidates."

Former Iraqi prime minister, Iyad Allawi, whose Iraqiya bloc took 91 seats in the March elections but was unable to form a government, expressed approval of the new government on behalf of the party by saying "We wish and we hope for this government to succeed in meeting the people's requirements… we are announcing our full support for the government."

The newly appointed cabinet and lawmakers of the Iraqi 325-member Parliament face the difficult task of working together to rebuild the war-torn country. Speaking about the incomplete cabinet, al-Maliki's advisor, Ali Moussawi, said the selected candidates represented the various factions of political blocs rather than al-Maliki's own personal preference.

Al-Maliki's State of Law Aliance managed to win 89 seats in the March elections, and like Allawi's Iraqiya was unable to form a government, despite prolonged negotiations with various representative of the Shi's, Sunni and Kurdish blocs.

Sources: Guardian, AFP, The New York Times, Reuters

For more news and expert analysis about Iraq, please see Iraq Focus.