Saudi oil minister sacked as king's son consolidates power

Saudi Arabia has carried out a major cabinet reshuffle, sacking the longstanding oil minister and merging ministries, as King Salman's son Prince Mohammed consolidates his growing influence in the kingdom.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

07 May, 2016

The outgoing oil minister had served in his post for more than two decades [AFP]

Saudi King Salman replaced his long-serving oil minister on Saturday as part of a major government overhaul which comes as the kingdom grapples with a slump in energy revenues.

Ali al-Naimi, who held the post of oil minister for more than two decades, was one of the most powerful figures within the OPEC oil cartel.

But recently his influence appeared to have been curbed by the growing power of Salman's son, Prince Mohammed, who has taken charge of economic policy.

State television said the oil ministry would now be known as the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mining.

Naimi has been replaced by Khaled al-Faleh, previously health minister, who takes the enlarged portfolio of energy, industry and mineral resources, according to a royal decree announced on Saturday by state media.

State television also said the oil ministry would now be known as the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mining.

OUT

- Ali Naimi, oil minister (appointed adviser to the royal court)
- Bandar al-Hajjar, Hajj minister
- Tawfiq al-Rabia, minister of trade (moves to health)
- Abdullah al-Mugbil, transport minister
- Majid al-Gasabi, minister of social affairs (moves to trade)
- Khalid al-Faleh, health minister (moves to energy)
- Fahad al-Mubarak, central bank governor
- Osama Faqih, head of General Auditing Bureau
- Mohamed al-Jasser, adviser to royal court (moves to general secretariat)
- Ahmed al-Khatib, adviser to royal court (moves to general secretariat)

- Khalid al-Faleh, minister of energy, industry and mining
- Mohamed Bintin, minister of Hajj
- Majid al-Gasabi, minister of trade and investment
- Sulaiman al-Hamdan, minister of transport
- Tawfiq al-Rabia, minister of health
- Ahmed al Khelaify, governor of central bank
- Hossam al-Angari, head of General Auditing Bureau
- Sulaiman Abalkhail, president of Imam Mohammed bin Saud University
- Ali al-Angari, deputy minister of National Guard
- Mohammed al-Tuwaijry, deputy minister of economy and planning
- Musaed al-Aiban, head of Education Assessment Commission
- Ahmad al-Khatib, Entertainment Commission chairman
- Prince Turki bin Mohamed bin Saud, adviser to king
- Prince Khalid bin Saud bin Khalid, adviser to king
- Prince Mohamed bin Saud bin Khalid, Shura council member
- Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Sultan, adviser to royal court
- Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, adviser to royal court
- Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, adviser to interior minister
- Sheikh Saad al-Shathry, adviser to royal court
- Mohammed al-Jasser, adviser to General Secretariat for the Council of Ministers
- Ahmed al-Khatib, adviser to General Secretariat for the Council of Ministers
- Yasser al-Rumayyan, adviser to General Secretariat for the Council of Ministers