In a decree issued on Thursday, Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah approved the new cabinet line-up suggested by the newly appointed prime minister, Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. According to Kuna, this is Kuwait's 22nd government since independence in 1961.
The new cabinet includes few changes as most ministers kept their portfolios from the previous government. State media said the key energy, foreign affairs and finance ministers remained unchanged.
Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Hamad al-Sabah was also named interior minister and first deputy prime minister, replacing Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah who was named crown prince on Tuesday by his brother the emir. Sheikh Nawaf confirmed in remarks published on Thursday that the government reshuffle was limited. Sheikh Nawaf, interviewed by the Saudi mass-circulation Okaz, indicated that there was no intention to conduct a major reshuffle in the cabinet due to the short remaining duration of the mandate of the current government, say one year and four months.
