Syria's Faisal Mekdad appointed Vice President in cabinet reshuffle

The country's UN envoy will replace Mr Mekdad as head of Foreign Ministry

Syria's new Vice President Faisal Mekdad ... but will he share the role with Dr Najah Al Attar? Reuters

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad reshuffled his government on Monday, elevating the foreign minister Faisal Mekdad to become Vice President, Syria's news agency reported.

Bassam Sabbagh, current UN envoy and former ambassador to Austria, replaces Mr Mekdad. There were also new appointments in the ministries of finance and electricity after July's parliamentary election.

Mr Mekdad had served as foreign minister since 2020 after the death of his predecessor Walid Al Moallem.

The new Council of Ministers will be led by Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Al Jalali, who served as communications minister from 2014-16.

Both Mr Jalali and Mr Mekdad have been the subject of EU sanctions for their roles in suppressing public protests in 2011, which later erupted into a civil war that is still raging. More than 350,000 people have been killed in that conflict, the UN estimates.

It is unclear if Mr Mekdad will share the vice president role with Dr Najah Al Attar, the first woman appointed to the post in 2006.