A new government in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, Politics, 5/1/2003

Saudi Arabia's King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz yesterday formed a new government which is the third in three decades. The governmental reshuffle included abrogation of several ministries and founding new ones.

However, basic ministers remained in their posts like the deputy premier and Crown Prince Abdullah, the defense minister Prince Sultan, the foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, the minister of the interior Prince Nayef, the minister of oil Ali al-Nueimi and the finance minister Ibrahim al-Assaf.

The government which was issued at a Royal decree also included four new faces which are the ministers of agriculture Fahd al-Ghuneim, the minister of communications Jbara al-Sureisari, minister of telecommunications and high technology Muhammad al-Mulla, and the minister of health Hamad al-Mane'. The ministry of housing and public utilities was canceled and annexed to the ministry of rural and municipal affairs and was assigned to Mut'ab Bin Abdul Aziz. Certain ministries were reestablished like the ministry of electricity which was annexed to the ministry of water by Ghazi al-Quseibi, the ministry of culture was annexed to the ministry of information led by Foad al-Farisis, the ministry of industry which was merged with the ministry of commerce by Hashem Yamani. The ministry of economy was separated from the ministry of financeas a seperate ministry under the name of the ministry of economy and planning by Khaled al-Quseibi.

The name of the ministry of al-Ma'aref ( Knowledge ) was changed to the ministry of "education and learning" with Muhammad al- Rashid as its minister. Osama Shabakshi was appointed as an advisor at the royal court.

The ministers of oil, Ali al-Nueimi, al-Haj affairs, Eyad Madani, of Labor, Ali al-Namla and the Islamic affairs, Saleh al-Sheikh kept their posts. A committee chaired by Prince Sultan was in charge of distributing the ministries responsibilities.

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