“The Iraqi people that a new government will be formed rapidly, and that it be efficient and united,” Rashid said in a swearing-in ceremony attended by government officials and politicians in the capital Baghdad.

On Thursday, Latif Rashid was elected as the 9th President of Iraq. Rashid replaced Barham Saleh as head of state after the two-round vote in parliament, winning more than 160 votes against 99 for Saleh.

Abdul Latif Rashid is an Iraqi Kurdish politician, who was previously the Minister of Water Resources under the government of Nouri al-Maliki.

Prior to that, he served in the same position under both the Iraqi Transitional Government and the Iraqi Interim Government. Rashid was formerly a spokesperson for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in the United Kingdom. He is a graduate of the University of Manchester.

As Minister for Water Resources from September 2003 till December 2010, Rashid was responsible for a range of issues, including irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, hydropower, flood control, and environmental requirements including marsh restoration.

After the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in April 2005 the Minister oversaw dramatic improvements in the management of the country's water resources. (ILKHA)