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A royal decree issued by King Salman has directed a reshuffle of the Saudi Council of Ministers under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman while keeping all current ministers in their roles. The decision came after officials reviewed previous royal decrees on cabinet formation along with associated legislation, according to state media. Article 9 of the Cabinet Law, itself issued by royal decree, stipulates that the term of the cabinet shall not exceed four years, at which point a reshuffle is to be ordered.
One of the accompanying decrees appointed Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman as chairman of the Board of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority. Bandar Alkhorayef was relieved of his position in that role. Previous official announcements have indicated that the authority is tasked with enhancing the use of local content in contracts and improving government procurement standards.
A further decree named Mazen Al-Sudairi as chairman of the Capital Market Authority, granting him ministerial rank. Mohammed Al-Quwaiz was relieved of the chairmanship under the same order. The Capital Market Authority regulates the kingdom’s capital markets, a function that has gained prominence with the expansion of the Tadawul exchange in recent years.
Cabinet reshuffles at the end of four-year terms have become standard practice in Saudi Arabia. A Reuters article published in December 2018 noted that a similar reshuffle was expected for precisely that reason, with the majority of ministers retained in their posts at the time. Such moves typically allow for targeted adjustments without overhauling the entire government team.
King Salman issued a separate royal decree in August 2024 that permits the cabinet to convene without either the monarch or the crown prince present, Reuters reported at the time. In such cases, the eldest cabinet member who is a descendant of founding King Abdulaziz would take the chair. The 2024 measure reflected adjustments to decision-making processes within the executive branch.
State media distributed the details of the latest decrees on August 13, 2026. The changes focus primarily on leadership at the two authorities while preserving stability across the main council of ministers. No additional information on the timing of the new appointees assuming their roles was provided in the decrees.
