Coronavirus: Jordan’s King Abdullah appoints new interior minister after mass curfew breach

Samir Al Mubaidin replaces Tawfiq Al Halalmeh after thousands defy orders to stay at home after parliamentary elections

Jordanian King Abdullah II has appointed a new interior minister. AFP

King Abdullah of Jordan appointed Samir Al Mubaidin as interior minister on Wednesday after his predecessor failed to confront mass breaches of the country’s coronavirus curfew.

Jordan is struggling with a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths. The Interior Ministry has become crucial in the security-led response to the pandemic in the country of 10 million people.

Mr Al Mubaidin takes over from Tawfiq Al Halalmeh, who resigned three weeks ago after thousands of Jordanians staged mass celebrations in response to the election result.

Turnout to elect the Parliament on November 10 was extremely low, at 29.9 per cent.

Voters' presence outdoors breached a total curfew imposed immediately after the election, and Mr Al Halalmeh’s lack of response drew criticism.

The king will address the new Parliament during its first session on December 10.

Mr Al Mubaidin has held the Cabinet position before, in 2018, and also served as governor of Amman and the port region of Aqaba.

Most of Jordan’s official 227,208 cases and 2,854 deaths from the coronavirus were registered in the past six weeks.

Health Minister Nazir Obeidat said that although case numbers in Jordan were high, their rate of increase over the past week had declined.

Mr Obeidat said “this gives hope for a promising future”, provided people observe social distancing and the curfew, and wear masks.

The curfew has since been eased to between 10pm and 6pm, and all day on Fridays.

The authorities alternated between tough lockdowns and allowing normal economic activity to resume, with increased presence of security forces.

Last month they settled on a strategy of partial curfews and building makeshift coronavirus hospitals.

Officials are hoping for cases to fall back under control and for a pick-up in economic activity from pent-up demand to replenish state coffers.

Department of Statistics data on Monday showed that unemployment in Jordan reached a record 23.9 per cent in the third quarter this year, compared with 19.1 per cent in the same period last year.

The government released the figures as it unveiled the 2021 budget.

The budget forecasts steady overall spending at about 10 billion dinars ($14bn), but with a 38 per cent increase to a $200 million National Assistance Fund for the country's most impoverished families.