Kuwait's emir swore in a new cabinet that closely resembled its predecessor on Wednesday to take the Gulf oil producer into a parliamentary election expected next year. Analysts said the new cabinet was unlikely to resolve a long-standing tussle between the 50-member parliament and governments often dominated by the ruling al-Sabah family.
"There are many responsibilities ahead of you towards the nation and challenges that we hope to overcome to move towards reform and development," the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, told the new cabinet, according to state news agency KUNA. Headed by Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah, the former defence minister, the new line-up consists mainly of ministers from the last administration which quit in November amid a deep political crisis in the Opec member state, the world's number six oil exporter.
Oil Minister Mohammad al-Busairi and Finance Minister Mustapha al-Shamali retained their posts, as did Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Sabah and Trade Minister Amani Bouresli. Sheikh Ahmed al-Humoud al-Jaber al-Sabah, a deputy prime minister and interior minister in the outgoing government, received the defence portfolio on top of his two other positions.