Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, swore in a new cabinet on Sunday that includes new oil, finance and defense ministers and seven members of the ruling Al-Sabah family.
Kuwait's emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, swore in a new cabinet on Sunday that includes new oil, finance and defense ministers and seven members of the ruling Al-Sabah family.
The ruler of the oil-rich Gulf state called for "positive and fruitful cooperation" between the new government and parliament to push ahead with economic development and the improvement of public services.
Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah said the new government would seek cooperation with MPs to "open a new page" in the history of Kuwait.
Disputes between successive governments and parliament have stalled development in the emirate which has surpluses of around $400 billion thanks to high oil prices over the past 12 years.
The swearing-in of the new 16-member cabinet came after the second parliamentary election in eight months was again boycotted by the opposition.
Former central bank governor, Sheikh Salem Abdulaziz Al-Sabah, who resigned last year in protest over a huge expansion in public spending, was appointed finance minister. The outgoing finance minister Mustafa al-Shamali was named oil minister.
As well as the premier, six other members of the Al-Sabah family were appointed to the cabinet, one more than in the previous government.
They control the key ministries of defense, interior and foreign affairs, as well as finance, information and health.
New interior and defense ministers were appointed from within the ruling family.
The ministers of commerce, development, social affairs and labor, education and Islamic affairs were retained. Newly-elected MP Issa al-Kundari was appointed communications minister.
The cabinet retains the two female ministers in the same posts and has two members from the Shiite minority.
The July 27 vote was boycotted by the Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition but saw turnout of 52.5 percent, sharply up on the record low of 40 percent in the previous election in December.
