The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan on Thursday approved a new cabinet proposed by Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, WAM news agency reported.

The official news agency said the new cabinet consists of 24 members, eight of whom are newly appointed ministers, and will take oaths the next few days.

Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is also UAE's Vice President and Defence Minister, made no change to the defence, finance, or interior portfolios, WAM said. But Information and Culture Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan has been named the country's new foreign minister.

UAE is expected to have its second woman in government -- Mariam Mohammed Khalfan al-Roumi has been appointed the Minister of Social Affairs. The first woman in the cabinet is Minister of Public Works Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid al-Qasimi, who was economics minister in the previous cabinet, WAM said.

The cabinet also saw the creation of three new ministries -- the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development and the Ministry of Governmental Sector Development. Two ministries -- the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf -- were scrapped.

Source: Xinhua