Kuwait swears in new cabinet as government teeters on

Kuwait swore in a new cabinet on Tuesday, but there are already doubts whether the shaky government will survive long, according to Gulf newspapers.

Members of the 35th government were sworn in in front of Kuwait ruler Emir Shaikh Sabah al-Sabah who told them they must remain united during these challenging times for the country.

"We are fully aware of the challenges as the nation moves forward and of the dangers and threats to our beloved homeland in light of the current regional situation," Jaber said according to Gulf News. 

"This means that our responsibilities are bigger and that we must intensify our efforts to work hard and productively to achieve the anticipated objectives for the country and fulfil the aspirations of Kuwaitis."

Kuwait's new government formed 40 days after the previous cabinet resigned following a standoff between parliament and ministers.

Parliament had planned a vote of no confidence against a minister and requests to grill others, leading to the government to resign.

Sabah hopes that there will some stability with the new cabinet as Kuwait struggles with low oil prices and divisions between the executive branches of government.

This is far from certain with it being dubbed a "transitional government" and a number of old ministers still in the cabinet.

One new face is the emir's eldest son Sheikh Nasser al-Sabah, who was named as defence minister. Half the cabinet is aged between 40 and 50.

Kuwait has been rocked by a number of political crises in recent years with cabinets being frequently reshuffled to cope with the constitutional storms.

Kuwait is also attempting to patch up divisions between neighbours, after Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain launched a blockade on Qatar, threatening the Gulf's regional council.