King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa on 26 September issued a royal decree reshuffling the cabinet and dissolving the oil ministry, transferring its functions to a newly created body affiliated to the prime minister's court.

All the functions of the former oil ministry will be transferred to the National Oil & Gas Authority, headed by former minister of state for cabinet affairs Abdulhussain Mirza. Former oil minister Sheikh Isa bin Ali al-Khalifa becomes Adviser on Oil & Industry Affairs to Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, a post carrying ministerial rank.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, currently ambassador to the UK, has been appointed Foreign Affairs Minister. He replaces Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, who becomes Deputy Prime Minister responsible for ministerial committees. Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa al-Khalifa has also been given the rank of Deputy Prime Minister while retaining his post as Transportation Minister.