KUWAIT: A decree was issued by HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday reshuffling the government, appointing new finance and commerce ministers and amending some of the existing portfolios. Four new faces were added to the Cabinet while two others were left out, according to the Amiri decree. The current government was formed in May.
Noura Al-Fassam, a top banker, was appointed as minister of finance and minister of state for economic affairs and investment, replacing Anwar Al-Mudhaf, also a top banker, who stayed in the post for just over seven months. Mudhaf was pushing for financial reforms including raising charges on public services, reforming huge government subsidies and also introducing strict policies to control public spending to reduce budget deficits.
Khalifa Al-Ajeel, a top government financial official, was appointed minister of commerce and industry, which was held by Omar Al-Omar, who remained in the Cabinet but as a minister of state for communications affairs. Abdullatif Al-Meshari was appointed as minister of state for housing and minister of state for municipality affairs, portfolios which were held by the ministers of public works and social affairs.
Dr Nader Al-Jallal, an academic, was appointed minister of higher education and acting minister of education, partly replacing Adel Al-Adwani. Jallal was also appointed acting education minister until a new education minister is appointed.
In addition, a number of changes were introduced to the portfolios of five ministers. Information Minister Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi was also appointed as minister of state for youth affairs. Noura Al-Mashaan remains only minister of public works, losing the municipality affairs ministry, while Amthal Al-Huwailah lost the ministry for youth affairs and remains minister of social affairs only.
The state ministry for housing was taken from Mahmoud Bushehri, who remains as minister of electricity and water and renewable energy. Omar Al-Omar lost the ministry of commerce and industry and remains as minister of state for communications affairs. The Cabinet, headed by HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, now has 15 members excluding him and is expected to have a new member later when a new education minister is appointed.