Qatar’s emir orders cabinet reshuffle

DOHA

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has appointed six new ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle.

The changes saw the appointment of Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as a deputy prime minister and minister of state for defense affairs, according to a statement released by his office, the Amiri Diwan.

Lolwah Al-Khater, who currently serves as minister of state for international cooperation, was named an education minister.

The reshuffle also included appointing new health, commerce, social development and transport ministers.

The reshuffle came a week after Qatari voters cast ballots in a referendum on a set of constitutional amendments that included replacing legislative elections for the Shura Council with appointed roles.

The polls, a year before Qatar held the football World Cup under intense international scrutiny, had stoked division as only descendants of Qataris who were citizens in 1930 were eligible to vote and run and constituencies were mapped out along tribal lines.

As well as the one-off legislative poll, Qatar has also held municipal elections every four years since 1999.