Government reshuffle in UAE brings in the first woman

President of the United Arab Emirates UAE Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan yesterday made a ministerial reshuffle that provided for appointing a new minister of oil Muhammad Bin Zahen al-Hamili. He also introduced for the first time a woman to the ministry, according to the UAE news agency.

According to this amendment, the ministry of oil and mineral resources, the ministry of electricity, waters were all merged in one ministry which is the ministry of energy and handed over to al-Hamili. Obeid Bin Seif al-Nasiri was the minister of oil in the former government. The two ministries of the economy and planning were merged in one ministry and was handed over to Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi.

The recent government in the UAE was formed in March 1997 and Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashed al-Maktoum is still its prime minister.