Saudi King makes biggest cabinet shakeup since taking helm, appoints first-ever woman deputy minister.
By Paul Handley - RIYADH
King Abdullah on Saturday made sweeping changes to his government, axing the head of the religious police and appointing Saudi Arabia's first-ever woman deputy minister in the biggest shakeup since he took over the throne.
Analysts said the changes continued Abdullah's cautious modernisation of the country's arch-conservative education, legal and social environments.
The reshuffle included naming new education, justice, information and health ministers, a new leader of the consultative Shura council, new central bank chief and the appointment of a woman deputy education minister for female education affairs.
Norah al-Fayez, currently an official at the Saudi Institute for Public Administration, became the first holder of the new job, the most senior ever granted to a woman in the Muslim kingdom. Read more ...
By Paul Handley - RIYADH
King Abdullah on Saturday made sweeping changes to his government, axing the head of the religious police and appointing Saudi Arabia's first-ever woman deputy minister in the biggest shakeup since he took over the throne.
Analysts said the changes continued Abdullah's cautious modernisation of the country's arch-conservative education, legal and social environments.
The reshuffle included naming new education, justice, information and health ministers, a new leader of the consultative Shura council, new central bank chief and the appointment of a woman deputy education minister for female education affairs.
Norah al-Fayez, currently an official at the Saudi Institute for Public Administration, became the first holder of the new job, the most senior ever granted to a woman in the Muslim kingdom. Read more ...
Source: Middle East Online
Posts
