Oman names new foreign minister

MUSCAT: Oman’s Sultan Haitham on Tuesday appointed a new top diplomat, replacing the long-serving Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah in a government reshuffle.

Sultan Haitham, since his accession in January, has vowed to maintain Oman’s policy of neutrality and non-interference. Badr Albusaidi, 60, was named foreign minister, a title held by the late Sultan Qaboos himself but with Alawi responsible for foreign affairs for the past two decades.

Albusaidi has been in the diplomatic service since the 1980s and held a number of posts, including foreign ministry secretary-general. Sultan bin Salem bin Saeed al-Habsi was appointed finance minister, a post also held by the sultan, and new faces were named to other key ministries, state media said.