Saudi reshuffles military, promotes woman at ministry

Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has replaced some of its top military officers in a series of personnel changes that elevate a younger generation and bring a woman into a senior government job. 

In a reshuffle announced late on Monday, the military chief of staff, air defence and land forces heads and senior defence and interior ministry officials were removed. Tamadur bint Youssef al-Ramah became deputy labour minister, a rare high-level job for a woman in the kingdom.

The latest personnel changes were decreed by King Salman and published in state media. 

The new military chief of staff was named as First Lieutenant Fayyad bin Hamed al-Ruwayli.

The decrees included adopting a new strategy to restructure the defence ministry for improved organisation and governance.

Defence contracts with U.S. and European companies have long been a source of corruption and Prince Mohammed has said in a television interview that it is “unacceptable” that high military spending has not translated into better performance.

A source familiar with the defence ministry restructuring plan told Reuters it was aimed at reducing inefficiency and corruption. 

Khalid Biyari, appointed aide to the defence minister, left his post as chief executive of Saudi Telecom. 

The decrees also included the appointment of three deputy governors from among the descendants of Princes Ahmed, Talal and Muqrin - brothers of King Salman.

One of them, new deputy governor of Asir province, Prince Turki bin Talal, is the brother of billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who was detained in the government’s anti-corruption campaign and released only last month.