4.35 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Kuwait's emir approves new cabinet

Published
By Reuters

Kuwait's ruler approved a new cabinet on Thursday, which ushered back many of the old faces following the resignation of the last one in June in a standoff with parliament.

 Hani Hussein was reappointed as oil minister and Nayef al-Hajraf was given the finance portfolio in the new 14-member cabinet, state new agency KUNA reported.

 The previous cabinet, including Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah who returned as prime minister, resigned after Kuwait's constitutional court effectively dissolved a parliament dominated by opposition Islamists, reinstating its more government-friendly predecessor instead.

 The line-up of the new cabinet, which saw one new face, former lawmaker Rola Dashti, as planning and development minister, was a widely expected move by analysts and lawmakers.

 Analysts expect Kuwait's ruler to dissolve parliament in order to allow a new election, widely expected to be held after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which could start as soon as Friday.

 The new cabinet should be sworn in before the reinstated parliament. 

 But such a move could prove difficult as majority of the 50-elected-member assembly have said they are boycotting the reinstated parliament, which was tarnished by corruption allegations, analysts said.

 According to the Kuwaiti constitution, the cabinet will have to resign after the parliamentary election and a new cabinet will be formed.

 "There is no major change in the new cabinet, it was actually expected. Now according to the constitution after the new election immediately the current cabinet will have to step down and a new one will be formed," Kuwaiti political analyst Ghanim al-Najjar said.

 The last such elections in the U.S.-allied OPEC oil producer were in February.

 

 EIGHT GOVERNMENTS

 Hussein, a former chief executive officer of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), was appointed in February as oil minister in the previous cabinet following a snap parliamentary election in the major crude producer.

 Changes in senior Oil Ministry personnel usually do not affect Kuwait's energy policy which is set by a top state body, the Supreme Petroleum Council.

 Hajraf, who is also the education minister, was appointed as the country's acting finance minister in May after his predecessor Mustapha al-Shamali quit amid allegations of financial irregularities in his departments.

 Kuwait has not experienced the kind of mass popular uprisings that have swept the Arab region since last year, but tensions have grown between the cabinet and opposition lawmakers pushing for a say in government.  

 The country has seen eight governments come and go in just six years due to bickering between the parliament and cabinet, hindering economic reforms. 

 During their four months in parliament, opposition lawmakers emboldened by their success at the polls repeatedly sought to question cabinet members, forcing the resignation of two, including the finance minister. 

 Pro-government MPs have been demanding the reinstated assembly, which the emir dissolved in December last year following months of infighting with the government, be allowed to finish its term, while opponents have threatened to block any attempt to convene it. 

 Kuwait is home to one of the region's most outspoken parliaments with legislative powers and a tradition of lively debate but the ruling al-Sabah family still maintains a firm grip on state affairs.  

 Key cabinet posts are held by ruling family members and the 83-year-old emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, has the right to dissolve or suspend parliament at will.