Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim names Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani as new PM in Cabinet recast

Sheikh Tamim appointed Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, while Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thain as Minister of Interior.

Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari and Energy Minister Saad Al Kaabi were reappointed in the cabinet reshuffle, the first since Qatar hosted the 2022 soccer World Cup.

The emir also restructured the board of sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority, appointing central bank Governor Sheikh Bandar Bin Mohammad Bin Saoud Al Thani as chairman to replace Sheikh Mohammed, the emir's office said.

Later, Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani took the oath as Qatar’s new Prime Minister before Sheikh Tamim at the Emiri Court in Doha.

Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani has been the Minister of Foreign Affairs since January 27, 2016. He was also named as Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister on November 15, 2017.

Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani had been Chairman of Qatar Investment Authority since 2018, Chairman of Qatar Fund for Development since 2014, and member of Qatar’s Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investments.

By naming his top diplomat as prime minister and bringing in a new interior minister, Qatar’s emir, what observers call, has completed a change of the guard in the Gulf state.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who was named interior minister headed the government security committee for last year’s World Cup.

Internal security force

At 42, the new prime minister, an economist, is the same age as the emir and the new interior minister is also of the same generation.

Sheikh Khalifa had also served in the Lekhwiya internal security force.

The outgoing prime minister, 55, had only been in office since January 2020.

Qatar’s growing wealth built on its massive natural gas reserves has brought huge changes to the state.

The population has increased by a third to about three million in the past decade, mainly fuelled by a massive influx of migrant workers, whose treatment have come under an international spotlight.

Political parties are still banned but Qataris held a first direct election in 2021 for a consultative council.

Qatar organised last year’s World Cup as part of a campaign to become an international sports hub and also sought a greater diplomatic and mediation role in geopolitical disputes.

-- With AFP inputs