Oman Sultan reshuffles cabinet

Cairo: Oman’s Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq has appointed three new government ministers in a cabinet reshuffle he ordered in a series of decrees, the country's state media reported on Thursday.

According to a royal decree, Engineer Salim Al Awfi has been appointed as minister of energy and minerals; Mohammed Al Maamari as minister of awqaf (endowments) and religious affairs; and Dr Hilal Al Sabti as minister of health.

Oman’s state television quoted a royal decree as saying that after examining the state basic system and based on dictates of public interests, the Sultan decided on restructuring the council of ministers under his chairmanship.

The sultan also decreed the establishment of the Supreme Council for Judiciary having financial and administrative independence and to be based in the capital Muscat, the television said.

Issa bin Hamad has been appointed as the council's secretary-general and

Mohammed bin sultan as its deputy head.

Other decrees announced new appointments in some state positions. Ghosn bin Halal has been named the head of the State Financial and Administrative Audit Institution at the rank of a minister.

New provincial governors have also been appointed including Saud bin Halal for Muscat; Mohammed bin Sulaiman for Batinah North and Saif bin Mohammed Al Malek for Al Batinah South.

The television cited other royal decrees defining powers of the Interior Ministry, approving its organizational structure, and transferring authority of listing and evaluating properties from the Interior Ministry to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.

The Sultan, moreover, has decreed regulating administration of the judiciary’s affairs amending some provisions of a law on municipal councils, and issuing a system for governorates.

Haitham took power in Oman in January 2020 after the death of Sultan Qaboos who had ruled the country for nearly five decades. Sultan Haitham has since introduced wide reforms in the country.