KUWAIT: Four newly appointed ministers took the constitutional oath on Monday before HH the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who urged them to place national interests “above all” and help improve government performance. HH the Amir also called on the four ministers to help face challenges to achieve the aspirations of the Kuwaiti people and work hard to find practical solutions to all issues.

The four ministers were added to the Cabinet on Sunday, while two ministers were dropped in the first reshuffle of the government formed in May after HH the Amir suspended the National Assembly. The new ministers include Noura Al-Fassam as finance minister, replacing Anwar Al-Mudhaf, who served in the Cabinet for just over seven months. They also include Khalifa Al-Ajeel as a new minister of commerce and industry, replacing Omar Al-Omar, who stayed in the Cabinet as minister of state for communications affairs.

Nader Al-Jallal, minister of higher education, and Abdullatif Al-Meshari, minister of state for housing and minister of state for municipality affairs, also took the oath before HH the Amir. Jallal replaces outgoing education and higher education minister Adel Al-Adwani. The reshuffle also affected the portfolios of five other ministers. The Cabinet membership increased to 15, in addition to HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah.