15 December 2011

Awn Shawkat al-Khasawneh

Awn Shawkat al-Khasawneh has been the Prime Minister of Jordan since October 2011. Previously a judge at the International Court of Justice for over a decade, he became prime minister after his predecessor was sacked amid allegations of corruption. Educated at Cambridge, al-Khasawneh served in the Jordanian government, first in Foreign Affairs and then as Jordanian legal adviser to the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace, after which he was Adviser to the King on international law.


During the Arab Spring protests, King Abdullah removed the Prime Minister, replacing him with Marouf al-Bakhit, who was subsequently accused of corruption. While al-Khasawneh may seem an unlikely choice given his long absences from the country, he is known for his honesty, and his appointment may suggest that the King wishes to increase the nation's peacemaking profile in the region, possibly helping to resolve the Syrian uprising or encourage talks between Hamas and Israel.

For more information, see http://bit.ly/uDWNth.

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