Let’s break the ice and meet our new long-awaited government.
Nohad Machnouk was born in Beirut 1955 and studied political Science. He's married and has four children. Machnouk started his career as a journalist and writer, and has thrived at the crossroads of politics and journalism ever since.
In the 1970s, Machnouk began to work for the local newspaper Beirut Al Masa and then later for the pan-Arab magazine Al Hawadeth. He specialized in the Arab-Israeli conflict and became one of its most prominent analysts.
He then went on to write for Al Ousbou' Al Arabi, Assayad, Al Anwar, Al Dustur, and then finally settled at Annahar Al Arabi wal Douwali, where he would cover an array of topics pertaining to regional politics. In 1983, Machnouk contributed to the founding of Al Liqaa Al Islami, a political gathering of prominent politicians and civil society leaders led by the late Mufti Hassan Khaled that called for an end to Syrian dominance of Lebanon and a halt to civil conflict.
Machnouk took residence in Paris and then Cairo for five years, and then returned to Beirut in 2003, but remained banned from participating in public life until the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon in 2005.
In 2005, El Machnouk returned to journalism, and began writing a weekly column for the Lebanese Daily Assafir, an article which was simultaneously published by the Emirati newspaper Al Bayan up till 2009. In 2010, he became a member of the Council of Trustees of the Yasser Arafat Institution.
Ali Hassan Khalil was born in Khiyam on 15/07/1964.
Married to Samia Haidar Saleh and has four children.
Holds a degree in Law from the Lebanese University and is also an appeals lawyer.
Belonged to the ranks of Amal movement from a young age and took over several responsibilities in the movement, most recently in charge of the province of Beirut.
Member of the body of Presidency in the Amal movement and head of the Union of Youth of Lebanon.
Elected deputy in 1996 elections for one of the two Shiite seats in Marjayoun - Hasbaya.
Re-elected in the years 2000, 2005 and 2009.
He was appointed minister of agriculture in the government of martyred PM Rafik Hariri, 2003-2004.
Appointed Minister of Health in the government of PM Najib Mikati in 2011.
Gebran Bassil was born in Batroun in June 21, 1970. He is married to Chantal Michel Aoun and has three children: Yara, Gabriel and George.
Bassil holds a degree in civil engineering in 1992 and a Master in Communications in 1993 from the American University of Beirut.
Bassil is an active member of the Free Patriotic Movement.
He ran for Batroun in the parliamentary elections of 2005. Took over the functions of the Minister of Telecommunications in the Lebanese government since July 2008 until November 2009.
Nominated for Batroun in the parliamentary elections of 2009.
Took over the functions of the Ministry of Energy and Water since 2009.
Minister of Public Works and Transportation Ghazi Zaiter was born in 1949 in the town of Qasser in Hermel.
Married to Roula Owaidat and has two sons.
Holds a degree in law from the Beirut Arab University in 1973.
Practiced law since graduating and until 10/05/1990.
Elected deputy for the province of Bekaa (Baalbek -Hermel) in the 1996 parliamentary elections.
Was appointed as defense minister in the government of Prime Minister Salim Hoss in 1998.
Re-elected deputy of the province of Bekaa ( Baalbek -Hermel )in the year 2000, and then again in 2005.
Appointed minister of social affairs in the government of Prime Minister Omar Karami formed in 2004.
Minister Wael Abou Faour:
Born in Khalouat Kefir (Hasbayya) on 05/08/1972.
Holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the American University of Beirut.
Secretary General of the Progressive Youth Organization (1997-2002).
Member of the Board of leadership in the Progressive Socialist Party since 1999.
Assistant Secretary-General of the united Arab youth (1999-2002).
He was elected a deputy for western Bekaa - Rashayya in 2005, and was re-elected for the same district in 2009.
Appointed Minister of State for Social Affairs in the government of Foad Siniora in July 2008.
Was appointed minister of state in the government of Saad Hariri in 9/11/2009.
Appointed minister of social affairs in the government of PM Najib Mikati on June 13, 2011.
Minister of Energy and Water Arthur Nazarian was born in Beirut in 1951.
Married to Thimar Kalajian and has three sons.
Continued his university studies in the United States, where he graduated as a textile engineer in 1973.
Works in trade and industry and owns several companies in the Gulf.
Appointed Minister of Tourism and Environment in the government of Prime Minister Salim Hoss formed in 1998, which was the first government under President Emile Lahoud.
Was elected deputy in 2009.
Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan was born in Nabi Sheet in 1960.
Holder of a PhD in molecular biophysical chemistry, which he received from the University of Orléans, France in 1987.
Professor in the Faculties of Science, Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy at the Lebanese University since 1987.
Elected deputy of the Bekaa in 2000, 2005 and 2009.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Tourism in 2000.
Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Works and Transportation (2005).
Member of the Finance and Budget Committee, July 2005/2006/2007.
Minister of Agriculture in the Cabinet of PM Saad Hariri in 2009, and Najib Mikati in 2011.
Vice PM and Minister of Defence Samir Mokbel was born in 1939.
Married to Joyce James and father of five children.
Civil engineer and entrepreneur, graduated from the American University of Beirut (AUB).
CEO of the company Samir Mokbel & Co - entrepreneurs and real estate company Samir Mokbel & Co since 1965.
President of the Alumni Association of the American University of Beirut (Mount Lebanon) from 1990 to 1992.
Member of the Board of Directors of the University of Balamand since 1990.
Member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Beirut from 1992 to 1996.
Minister of the Environment from 1992 to 1995.
Appointed Deputy Prime Minister in Najib Mikati's government in June 2011.
Minister of Telecommunications Boutros Harb was born August 3, 1944 in Tannourine, married to Marlene Joseph Tabet and father of three children, Majd , Hala and Nour .
Graduated with a degree in French and Lebanese law from Saint Joseph University in 1965.
Performs his legal function and owner of an office in Sami El- Solh Street in Beirut.
Elected member of Batroun Caza in 1972.
Elected member of several parliamentary committees.
Elected Rapporteur of the Committee on Foreign Affairs from 1973 until 1979 and then appointed Minister of National Education and Fine Arts and Public Works.
In 2000, he was one of the main members of the Kornet Chehwane Meeting, a broad Christian rally calling for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon.
After the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Harb joined the March 14 Camp that calls for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
He was elected a deputy in 2005 and appointed as an Independent representative to the dialogue table.
Presidential Candidate in 2008, he later withdrew his candidacy after the Doha agreement and the election of General Michel Sleiman as the head of the Lebanese Republic.
In 2009 he was elected MP for Batroun again.
State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Mohammad Fneish was born in Maaroub -Tyr in 1953.
Holder of a degree in Mathematics ( Faculty of Science, Lebanese University ) and a degree in Political Science ( Faculty of Law and Political Science, Lebanese University).
He took over the responsibility of chairing the Political Bureau of Hezbollah.
Deputy of Bint Jbeil between 1992 -1996 and 2000 -2005 and belongs to Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc.
A member of the sessions of the Committee on Budget and Finance in the years 92, 96, 2000 and July 2005 .
A member of the Commission on Human Rights.
Member of the National Islamic Conference.
Member of the National Commission founded to resist the occupation.
Member of the Monitoring Committee to support the issue of prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
Minister of Energy and Water in the government of Foad Siniora in July 2005.
Minister of Labour in the government of Foad Siniora in 2008.
Minister of State for Administrative Development in the Cabinet of Saad Hariri in 2009.
Minister of State for Administrative Development, Government of Najib Mikati in 2011.
Minister of Labour Sejaan Azzi was born in 1952 in Ouqayba-Ftouh Keserwan.
Married to Dania Haleem Baroud and has two twin girls.
Joined the ranks of Kataeb party at an early age and has been the Vice Head of Kataeb Party since 2010.
Studied political science and management in Saint Joseph University.
Worked as a journalist in numerous papers and magazines and headed the news department at Voice of Lebanon radio in 1975. He then established Radio Free Lebanon in 1978 and managed it up to 1986.
Issued the publication MIB in Paris, and then established SOGETCO, also in Paris, in 1986.
Minister of Economy Alain Hakim was born on May 3, 1961.
Married with two children, Christopher and Natasha.
Assistant General Manager of Credit Libanais.
The holder of a Ph.D. in the field of Business Administration and holds a certificate in graduate studies in Business Administration and a Masters in Marketing from Saint Joseph University. He also holds a degree in Business Administration from the Lebanese - American University.
He's been a member of the disciplinary committee at the College of Business Administration at Saint Joseph University since 1989.
PM Tammam Salam was born in 1945, he is the son of former PM Saeb Salam.
Married to Lama Badereddine and has three children.
Studied Economy and Business Management in England.
Worked as head of Arab Works company from 1969-1982.
He established in 1974 Pioneers of Reform Movement, but suspended its work on the onset of the Civil War in 1975.
Joined the Board of Trustees of Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association in 1978, and headed the Association from 1982 till 2000. He is currently the honorary head of said association. He also established Voice of the Nation radio.
Elected PM for Beirut district in 1996 and 2009, and took part in the committee on Administration and Justice.
He is a current member of the committees on Foreign and Expatriate affairs and National Economy.
Minister of Tourism Michel Pharaon:
Born in Beirut in June 1959.
He obtained his degree in economics and business administration at Saint Joseph University and completed his graduate studies in Paris.
Married to Mona Tannous and father of three children.
He established a business career in Lebanon, the Arab world and West Africa.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of LBC group, MedNet, Journal of Commerce du Levant and the French-language daily L'Orient le Jour.
An ally of Rafik Hariri, Pharaon was elected as MP of Beirut for the Greek Catholic seat from 1996 until the assassination of Hariri. He then continued his alliance with the Future Movement and was elected again in 2005.
He was appointed Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 2000 and 2005
Minister of Sports and Youth Abdul Mouttaleb Hannaoui
Born in Beirut in 1952.
Married to Rima Saadeh and has two children, he graduated from Military School in 1975. and worked as information officer in the Arab Deterrent Forces.
He is the head of the Legal Department at the Ministry of National Defense and Military Advisor to President Michel Suleiman.
Minister of State for Administrative Development Nabil de Freij
Nabil de Freij was born in Beirut on August 31, 1955. He is married to Mrs. Maya Robert Barakat with two children. He is a graduate of the Higher Institute of Commerce and Management - Pari. He was elected as Member of Parliament for the first time in September 3, 2000 and again in 2009.
