Bahrain dissolves its information ministry

Manama: Bahrain has abolished its information ministry, setting up instead a media authority.

A decree by King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa renamed the Ministry of Culture and Information as Ministry of Culture with powers over culture and tourism in the country.

The Bahrain Media Authority will be in charge of foreign media, press affairs, Bahrain radio and television corporation, Bahrain news agency (BNA), publishing and printing.

Shaikh Fawwaz Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa, the former youth and sports minister, was appointed in charge of the authority with the rank of minister.

Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa, the former minister of culture and information, will remain in charge of culture and tourism. She was appointed minister in November 2008 in replacement of Jihad Bu Kamal, a former MP who was later appointed as member of the upper chamber of the bicameral parliament.

Shaikha Mai is one of two woman ministers in the government. The other is social development minister Dr Fatima Al Beloushi.

Other Arab countries that scrapped their information ministries include Jordan, Qatar and the UAE.