Kuwait appoints oil minister

Kuwait has promoted Mohammad al-Olaim from acting Oil Minister to the permanent position following the recent parliamentary elections.

Al-Olaim will also continue in his role as Minister of Electricity and Water, according to the official news agency Kuna.

Al-Olaim took over the acting oil minister role in November 2007, following the resignation of Bader al-Humaidhi and after pressure from lawmakers who had been investigating financial irregularities against him.

Kuwait held fresh elections on 17 May following the dissolution of National Assembly (parliament) on 19 March, which was triggered after the entire cabinet resigned over a dispute with parliament (MEED 19:3:08).

Four ministers, including former oil minister Shaikh Ali al-Jarrah al-Sabah, have resigned in the past 18 months following requests by MPs to question them.