King Salman has removed the country’s veteran oil minister as part of a major government reshuffle.
Ali al-Naimi has been replaced after more than 20 years in the role by the former Saudi health minister Khaled al-Falih.
The reshuffle follows the major economic reforms revealed in April, which guarantee an end to the country’s dependence on oil.
The government shake-up, announced by the custodian of the two holy mosques, sees a number of ministries merged and others, such as the ministry of electricity and water, scrapped altogether.
Prince Mohammed Bin Salman will now direct the country’s economic policy, and Mr al-Naimi’s removal is an indication that he wants tighter control over the commodity
