Damascus: Syrian Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced the formation of a new government on Saturday, March 30, nearly four months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The announcement ceremony was held at the People’s Palace in Damascus.

While two key ministries remained unchanged, with Asaad al-Shibani continuing as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Murhaf Abu Qasra staying as Minister of Defense, several new appointments were made across other ministries:

• Minister of Interior: Anas Khattab

• Minister of Justice: Mazhar al-Wais

• Minister of Awqaf: Muhammad Abu al-Khair Shukri

• Minister of Higher Education: Marwan al-Halabi

• Minister of Social Affairs and Labor: Hind Kabawat

• Minister of Energy: Mohammed al-Bashir

• Minister of Finance: Mohammed Yosr Bernieh

• Minister of Economy: Nidal al-Shaar

• Minister of Health: Musab Nazzal al-Ali

• Minister of Local Administration: Mohammad Anjarani

• Minister of Emergency and Disasters: Raed al-Saleh

• Minister of Communications: Abdulsalam Haykal

• Minister of Agriculture: Amjad Badr

• Minister of Education: Mohammed Abdul Rahman Turko

• Minister of Public Works and Housing: Mustafa Abdul Razzaq

• Minister of Culture: Mohammad Yassin al-Saleh

• Minister of Sports and Youth: Mohammed Saleh Hamid

• Minister of Tourism: Mazen al-Salhani

• Minister of Administrative Development: Muhammad Iskaf

• Minister of Transport: Yarub Badr

• Minister of Media: Hamza Mustafa

During the announcement, President al-Sharaa described this as the beginning of a new chapter for Syria, emphasizing that the nation faces significant challenges requiring unity. He stressed that the new government is committed to rebuilding state institutions based on accountability and transparency while strengthening key sectors such as education and healthcare.

 President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Saturday that at a decisive moment in the history of our nation, which requires us to stand together and be united, I stand before you today, addressing each and every one of you, carrying the hopes of every one of you as we witness the birth of a new era.

“We are witnessing the birth of a new phase in our national process, and the formation of a new government today is a declaration of our common will to build a new State,” President al-Sharaa said in a speech at the Ceremony of announcing the formation of the new Syrian government.

The President added that the new government will seek to open new horizons in education and healthcare, and we will not allow corruption to infiltrate our institutions.

“Our plan for the future will rely on a number of axes, including preserving and developing human resources, and seeking to attract Syrian human resources from abroad,” the President said.

President al-Sharaa went on to say that the new Government will reform the energy sector to maintain sustainability and provide 24-hour electricity, and we will work to support farmers to ensure production and maintain food security.

“We will seek to rehabilitate industry, protect national products, and create an encouraging environment to investment in all sectors, we will also strive to reform the monetary situation, strengthen the Syrian currency, and prevent manipulation,” the President stated.

He added “We have established a ministry dedicated to sports and youth, believing in the important role of the youth.”

President Al-Sharaa stressed that during this critical period, efforts will be redoubled to confront any event that may face our people, therefore, we have established the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management to address any challenges or disasters that may confront the nation, we will work to build a rapid and effective response system to any emergency, whether natural or humanitarian, to ensure the protection of citizens and the provision of immediate relief.

“We will pay great attention to keeping pace with technological developments, artificial intelligence programs, and digital transformation, we will begin by building the necessary infrastructure for this, including training personnel, attracting expertise, research centers, and a market that encourages this goal,” President al-Sharaa said.

The President stressed that this government is a government of change and construction, a government that bears the people’s aspirations and hopes for a bright and sustainable future., we are certain that hard work, dedication, and cooperation among all citizens will be the key to achieving these goals.

For his part, Foreign Minister in the new government Asaad al-Shibani said that on this historic day, we witness the announcement of the first government with free will.

Defense Minister in the new government Murhaf Abu Qasra said “We will restore Syria’s rightful army, after the former deposed regime defamed its reputation.”

Economic and security priorities

Al-Sharaa outlined the government's future strategy, which includes developing human resources, rehabilitating industries and protecting national products, creating an investment-friendly environment, strengthening the Syrian currency and reforming the monetary system and enhancing stability and security for citizens.

A new Ministry of Sports and Youth was also established, highlighting the importance of youth in Syria’s future.

Background and Transitional Phase

The formation of the new government follows the appointment of Sheikh Osama al-Rifai as Syria’s Grand Mufti on March 29. It also marks the end of the temporary caretaker government, which had been in place since January 29, 2024, when Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed transitional president.

His administration had previously dissolved armed factions, security agencies, the Parliament, and the ruling Baath Party, alongside abolishing the constitution, paving the way for a new governance structure.

A Govt for All Syrians

Syrians had been awaiting the formation of this government to address long-standing unresolved issues. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani had previously announced at the World Government Summit in Dubai that the new leadership would represent all segments of Syrian society and learn from past mistakes to ensure success in the next phase.

Dr. Sabri Hassan, Dean of the Administrative Sciences Faculty at Ebla Private University, emphasized that the new government must focus on building trust with citizens, balancing immediate security reforms with long-term social development through national dialogue, transitional justice, and victim compensation mechanisms.

The formation of this government is seen as a critical step in Syria’s transition, with expectations that it will bring stability, reforms, and renewed hope for the war-torn nation.