Saudi king injects ‘new blood’ into leadership

The second cabinet reshuffle in Saudi Arabia announced by King Salman since he acceded the throne three months ago, signals a transition of the leadership towards a younger generation.

In the leadership overhaul announced yesterday, King Salman replaced his half-brother, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, as crown prince, appointing his nephew, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.

The king’s nephew now becomes his new heir apparent. King Salman appointed his son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as deputy crown prince, making him second in line to the throne.

The king also removed veteran Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, Adel al Jubeir, will now become the kingdom’s top foreign envoy.

Norah al Faiz, the highest-ranking woman in the Saudi government, was removed from her position as deputy education minister.

The King appointed Labour Minister Adel Fakeih, a former chairman of foods company Savola Group, as minister of economy and planning, at a time when economic growth is expected to slow in the kingdom.

The king also moved Khaled al Falih, chief executive of the state-owned oil behemoth Saudi Arabian Oil Co., to chairman of the company, known as Saudi Aramco, and made him health minister as well.

Falih will replace the nation’s long-time oil minister, Ali al Naimi, as Aramco chairman, making him a contender to eventually take over the oil ministry. Naimi also served as Aramco CEO before he became oil minister in 1995, and has said he wants to retire soon.

In a royal decree announcing the changes, King Salman said they were supported by a “great majority” in the Allegiance Committee. The committee is a council of senior members of the royal family, created in 2006 to assist in selecting the kingdom’s future leaders.

In the proclamation, the king ordered a one-month salary bonus for members of armed and security forces, many of them engaged in the military campaign in Yemen.