Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Saturday announced the replacement of several Cabinet ministers, including the longtime oil minister, the official Saudi Press Agency said. Known as "Saudi Vision 2030," the initiative was approved on April 25 by the Council of Ministers led by King Salman, who is also the country's prime minister. Also affected by the Cabinet reshuffle were the hajj, commerce and industry, transport, labor and social affairs, and health ministers. Like other Gulf countries whose economies depend on petroleum, Saudi Arabia has been affected by the sharp drop in oil prices, which has forced the country to reduce subsidies and enact a tax overhaul to boost non-oil revenue. The monarch said in a speech then that the goal was to transform Saudi Arabia into "a model for the world at all levels," urging his countrymen to work to make the ambitious plan a reality.

Source: Fox News May 07, 2016 15:41 UTC