Bahrain completes largest Cabinet reshuffle, adding four women

New members to take oath of office after exercise that changed 17 out of 22 ministers

Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa chairs a session with the departing Cabinet. Bahrain News Agency

Bahrain’s new Cabinet will take the oath of office on Wednesday, after King Hamad ordered the country's largest reshuffle.

The reshuffle changed 17 out of 22 ministers and included the appointment of new ministers for the oil, tourism and industry portfolios.

Many of the incoming Cabinet ministers are from the younger generation and there are four women.

Mohammed bin Mubarak, who was the country's envoy for climate affairs, was named Minister of Oil and Environment, replacing Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa.

The reshuffle, announced on Monday, also included the appointment of Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah as sole Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, Zayed Al Zayani as Industry and Commerce Minister and Fatima Al Sairafi as Tourism Minister.

“We look forward with optimism, determination and responsibility to the coming days to achieve more gains and accomplishments in various sectors, to enhance Bahrain's advanced position at all levels,” said Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Salman bin Hamad.

The reshuffle includes the creation of four new ministries, plus the separation of some ministries to become separate entities and also the transfer of some sectors into new ministries.

The new ministries include a Ministry of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Legal Affairs and Ministry of Infrastructure.

The municipalities and agriculture ministry has been separated from the Ministry of Works.

The social development sector has been separated from the Ministry of Labour to become two separate ministries. The urban planning sector has been added to the Ministry of Housing, while the environment portfolio has been added to the Ministry of Oil.

The kingdom's economy is expected to grow by 3 per cent this year on the back of higher oil prices and output, and a rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, a report by the National Bank of Kuwait released last month said.