Ibrahim Al-Assaf
Al-Assaf named new Saudi foreign minister
MANAMA, December 28, 2018
Saudi Arabia's King Salman has appointed Ibrahim Al-Assaf as the new foreign minister in a major reshuffle of the kingdom's cabinet.
Al-Assaf, who had served previously as the finance minister for two decades until 2016, replaces Adel Al-Jubeir, who has been appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, and Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance, have retained their portfolios in the revamp.
Al-Assaf was detained briefly in 2017 as part of an anti-corruption crackdown but was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz was named Minister of National Guard, and Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Ghofeily was relieved as National Guard advisor.
Turki Al-Shabana was appointed as Minister of Media, and Hamad Al-Sheikh was appointed as Minister of Education.
King Salman also issued a royal decree reforming the Council of Political and Security Affairs under the chairmanship of Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defence.
The Council of Economic and Development Affairs was also revamped under the chairmanship of the Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, Prince Sultan bin Salman was relieved as president of Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), and appointed as the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Space Agency at the rank of minister. Ahmad Al-Khateeb has been named president of SCTH.
Khaled Al-Harbi was appointed head of the Public Security Directorate in place of Saud bin Abdul Aziz Hilal. Musaed Al Aiban was appointed as Saudi Arabia's National Security adviser.
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal was appointed as chairman of the General Sports Authority in place of Turki Al Asheikh, who was appointed as the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority.
A new entity called the General Commission for Exhibitions and Conferences is to be set up, and its CEO will be appointed by royal decree.
The new Council of Ministers includes:
* His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defense;
* HRH Prince Dr Mansour bin Miteb bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Minister of State;
* HRH Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Minister of State;
* HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Minister of Interior;
* HRH Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - Minister of National Guard;
* HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud - Minister of Culture;
* Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh - Minister of State;
* Dr Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Al-Sheikh - Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance;
* Dr Waleed bin Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sama'ani - Minister of Justice;
* Dr Mutlab bin Abdullah Al-Nafisah - Minister of State;
* Dr Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban - Minister of State;
* Dr Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf - Minister of Foreign Affairs;
* Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan bin Mohammed Al-Rabeeah - Minister of Health;
* Mohammed bin Faisal bin Jaber Abu-Saq - Minister of State for Shura Council Affairs;
* Dr Essam bin Saad bin Saeed -Minister of State;
* Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi - Minister of Commerce and Investment;
* Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi - Acting Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
* Mohammed bin Abdul Malik Al Al-Sheikh - Minister of State;
* Abdurrahman bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli - Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture;
* Khalid bin Abdurrahman Al-Issa - Minister of State;
* Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir - Minister of State for Foreign Affairs;
* Eng. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih - Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources;
* Majid bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Haqail - Minister of Housing;
* Suleiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan - Minister of Civil Service;
* Dr Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten - Minister of Hajj and Umrah;
* Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Jadaan - Minister of Finance;
* Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha - Minister of Communications and Information Technology;
* Dr Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi - Minister of Transport;
* Mohammad bin Mazyed Al-Tuwaijri - Minister of Economy and Planning;
* Eng. Ahmed bin Suleiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi - Minister of Labor and Social Development;
* Dr. Fahd bin Abdullah bin Abdul Latif Al-Mubarak - Minister of State;
* Dr Hamad bin Mohammed bin Hamad Al Al-Sheikh - Minister of Education;
* Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabaneh - Minister of Media
