Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks here Sunday with Jordan’s King Abdallah on major regional and international issues and explored ways to strengthen bilateral ties. Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin, Intelligence chief Prince Khaled bin Bandar, National Guard Minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah and Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Naif attended the talks.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah told the newly appointed ministers to be honest in carrying out their duties.

The new nine ministers took the oath of office in front of the king at his palace in Riyadh on Sunday.

The new faces in the Cabinet are Islamic Affairs Minister Sulaiman Abalkhail, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Sabti, Health Minister Dr. Mohammed Alhayazie, Culture, Information Minister Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, Communications and Information Technology Minister Fahaad Al-Hamad, Social Affairs Minister Sulaiman Al-Humaid, Agriculture Minister Walid Al-Khereiji, Transport Minister Abdullah Al-Muqbil and State Minister Essam bin Saeed.

King Abdullah appointed the new ministers last Monday in a major Cabinet reshuffle. Saudis were happy over the change, as they believed it would help bring new vision, thought and energy to boost national development.

“People consider the new ministers as windows toward a brighter future,” said Adnan Alshiha, a columnist. He said the new ministers should prove their capabilities in addressing pressing issues of citizens, introducing innovative methods of management and ensuring transparency.

Alhayazie, the new health minister, said he would work for improving health services across the country, while Al-Khodairy said he would work to ensure that every citizen helps to promote the Kingdom.

“Every citizen should be honored and proud to be a Muslim, proud of his country and language, and to work hard to spread the word about the Kingdom’s achievements and leadership,” the new information minister said in a statement. Al-Sabti stressed the pivotal role of higher education in accelerating the Kingdom’s overall progress.

“The King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program represents one of the main mechanisms to achieve the required quantum leap toward a knowledge society,” he added.

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