The Kingdom’s newly appointed ministers have pledged to serve the nation.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Monday announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, removing six ministers and appointing eight new ones for health, higher education, transport, agriculture, social affairs, communications and information technology, culture and information, and Islamic affairs.

The king also appointed Essam bin Saad bin Saeed a state minister in addition to his current position as the chief of Cabinet’s Experts Commission.

Sulaiman Al-Humaid, the newly appointed social affairs minister, said that if it were possible, he would increase social insurance payments. “If I am able to do so, I would decide to increase social insurance allowances and financial assistance for the needy, widows and persons with disabilities.”

Mohammed Alhayazie, the new health minister, thanked the leadership for the trust placed in him. “My only hope is to realize the aspirations of the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to provide better health services for all citizens.”

Abdullah Al-Muqbil, the new minister of transport, thanked the king for the confidence placed in him and said he would work hard to serve the interests of the Kingdom.

Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, the new minister of culture and information, said he would work to ensure that every citizen helps to promote the Kingdom. “Every citizen should be honored and proud to be a Muslim, proud of his country and language, and to work hard to spread the word about the Kingdom’s achievements and leadership.”

Fahd Al-Hamad, the new minister of communications and information technology, thanked the king for the confidence placed in him and said he would work to develop the communication and information technology system in the country.

Sulaiman Abalkhail, the new Islamic affairs minister, thanked the king and said: “I am proud to bear this responsibility and to serve my country as best I can, to achieve the aspirations of the leadership.”

Khaled Al-Sabti, higher education minister, said that under the leadership of the king, he hopes to assist the Kingdom to develop into a knowledge society. “The role of higher education is pivotal, and the scholarship program represents one of the main mechanisms to achieve the required quantum leap toward a knowledge society in the Kingdom.”