A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

More New Faces for Qatar's New Cabinet

Newly installed Qatari Ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad has named a new Cabinet, with Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani as his new Prime Minister and Khalid al-Atiyah as Foreign Minister; both posts were formerly held by Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim ("HBJ"). The critical Energy Ministry is unchanged.

1 comment:

David Mack said...

A former senior U.S. diplomat with expertise in the GCC states has remarked shrewdly that the transition in Qatar sends useful messages to both the other hereditary Arab leaders and the the U.S. To the former, it reminds them that no leader is indispensable, and all of them will get older and, eventually if not already, less capable. To the U.S. government and other boosters of democracy it sends the message that in some states you can have a peaceful and orderly transition without elections while maintaining political legitimacy.