RIYADH, 1 May 2003 — In only the third major government reshuffle in 30 years, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd yesterday announced a new Cabinet, making structural changes in several ministerial portfolios.
Most of the important ministers retained their positions. However, eight lost their jobs and five new faces were introduced. The reshuffle also saw the abolition of some ministries and the merger of others.
For the first time, information technology was seen as worthy of ministerial representation. In another major move, the minister of education will be assisted by two deputy ministers — in charge of boys’ and girls’ education.
Crown Prince Abdullah remained first deputy premier and commander of the National Guard and Prince Sultan second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation. Interior Minister Prince Naif, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and State Minister Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd also retained their posts.
Prince Miteb has been appointed minister of municipality, rural affairs and housing after merging the two ministries of municipality and rural affairs and public works and housing. The oil and finance portfolios remained with Ali Al-Naimi and Ibrahim Al-Assaf, respectively.
King Fahd appointed Fahd ibn Abdul Rahman Balghaneim, former governor of Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) the new agriculture minister replacing Abdullah Muammar, and Dr. Jabara ibn Eid Al-Seraisry transport minister in place of Nasser Al-Salloum. The transport minister will also chair the Saudi Ports Authority’s board.
Mohammed ibn Jameel Al-Mulla was given the new Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology while Hamad ibn Abdullah Al-Manie was appointed health minister replacing Osama Shubokshi.
Abdullah ibn Ahmed Zainal, chairman of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was appointed state minister. Zainal is chairman and member of the boards of several companies.
Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, who was water minister in the outgoing Cabinet, will be in charge of both water and electricity as the former Ministry of Industry and Electricity was merged with two other ministries.
Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy retained his post with culture added to his portfolio.
Education Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Rasheed also retained his post. Dr. Hashim Yamani, who was industry and electricity minister in the former Cabinet, is now in charge of the new Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Planning Minister Khaled Al-Gosaibi was also given the portfolio of economy, which was separated from the Ministry of Finance and National Economy.
Other ministers who retained their posts were: Justice Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Sheikh, Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Sheikh, Civil Service Minister Mohammed Al-Fayez, Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari, Haj Minister Iyad Madani, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Dr. Ali Al-Namlah and state ministers Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khuwaiter, Dr. Matlab Al-Nafeesa and Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban.
King Fahd appointed Hamoud Al-Fayez as head of the Court of Grievances, Osama Faqeeh, former commerce minister, as head of the general auditing bureau, and Dr. Osama Shubokshi as adviser to King Fahd, all in the ranks of minister.
Dr. Osama Sadiq Tayyeb has been appointed the new rector of King Abdul Aziz University replacing Ghazi Madani; Dr. Khaled ibn Saleh Al-Sultan as rector of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, replacing Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dukhayyil; and Dr. Nasir ibn Abdullah Al-Saleh as rector of Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah.
King Fahd issued decrees abolishing the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and merging it with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
The name of the Information Ministry was changed to the Ministry of Culture and Information.
The Ministry of Industry and Electricity was abolished and merged with the ministries of commerce and water.
The name of the Planning Ministry was changed to the Ministry of Economy and Planning while the name of the PTT Ministry was changed to the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology. The new name of the Ministry of Communications is the Ministry of Transport.
The changes were made on the recommendations of a ministerial committee on administrative reforms with a view to cutting expenditures and improving the performance of government departments, a statement said.
The education departments under the National Guard, Defense Ministry and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu will be merged with the Education Ministry. The Education Ministry will have two budgets, one for boys’ education and the other for girls’ education.
The universities will be given more autonomy to administer their affairs. University and college councils and university rectors will be given additional powers, the statement said.
Saudi Radio and Television as well as the Saudi Press Agency will be brought under two general organizations, the statement said, adding that their boards will be chaired by the minister of culture and information.
The agency for antiquities, which was under the Education Ministry, will come under the Supreme Commission for Tourism. The Youth Welfare Presidency will continue to be in charge of sports, the statement said.
King Fahd also issued decrees renewing the terms of the following to four more years: Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed, Madinah Governor Prince Muqrin, Hail Governor Prince Saud ibn Abdul Mohsen, Saudi Ambassador to Washington Prince Bandar ibn Sultan, and President of the Youth Welfare Presidency Prince Sultan ibn Fahd.
Other officials who received four-year renewals were: Prince Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad, adviser at the crown prince’s court, Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd, head of the court at the Presidency of Cabinet Affairs, Prince Nawaf ibn Faisal, deputy chief of the Youth Welfare Presidency, Ali Al-Shaer, royal court adviser, Muhammad Al-Hamdan, head of King Fahd’s private office, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Nafeesa, adviser at the royal court, Abdul Mohsen Al-Tuwaijeri, adviser at the crown prince’s court, Ibrahim Al-Tasan, head of the crown prince’s personal affairs, Dr. Muhammad Al-Jaber, head of the experts committee at the Cabinet, Dr. Saleh Al-Athel, president of the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, Muhammad Al-Nafie, head of the Supervising and Investigation Authority.
Dr. Saleh Al-Aboud, rector of the Islamic University in Madinah, Dr. Abdullah Al-Faisal, rector of King Saud University in Riyadh, and Dr. Yousuf Al-Jundan, rector of King Faisal University in Dammam, were also given four-year extensions.
The terms of the following officials were also renewed for four years: Abdul Rahman Al-Sadhan, deputy secretary general of the Cabinet, Sulaiman Al-Humaid, governor of the General Organization for Social Insurance, Dr. Muhammad Al-Jasir, deputy governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, Ali Al-Hodaithy, adviser at the Defense and Aviation Ministry, Saleh Al-Barrak, director general of customs, Dr. Muhammad Al-Salim, rector of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rashid, rector of King Khaled University, Khaled Al-Yahya, president of the Saudi Railway Organization, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Tuwaijeri, secretary-general of the Supreme Economic Council, Dr. Muhammad Al-Sumaih, adviser at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, and Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Shaqawi, director general of the Institute of Public Administration.
King Fahd thanked the outgoing ministers Osama Faqeeh, Dr. Osama Shubokshi, Dr. Abdullah Muammar, Ali Al-Johani (state minister), Muhammad Al-Jarallah (municipal and rural affairs), Dr. Nasser Al-Salloum (communications), Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Manie (state), and Dr. Madani Allaqi (state) for their services.
