Mustafa Jassem Al-Shamali (born 1943) is a Kuwaiti politician who has had held different cabinet posts. He served as

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

between 2007 and May 2012. He also served as oil minister from 4 August 2013 to January 2014.

Early life and education

Shamali was born in 1943. He received a bachelor's degree in business and management from Ain Shams University,

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

, in 1968.

Career

Shamali started his career at the ministry of finance following the graduation. He held different positions at the ministry, including director of the economic cooperation department (1975-1982), director of the ministry's general diwan (1985-1986), the ministry's undersecretary for economic affairs (1986-2006), and director of the ministry's undersecretary (2006-2007). On 13 December 2011, Shamali was appointed minister of health, but was replaced by Ali Saad Al Obeidi on 14 February 2012. Shamali was appointed as finance minister in a cabinet reshuffle in February 2012. On 27 May 2013, Shamali was also appointed acting oil minister to succeed Hani Hussein who resigned from office. On 4 August he was appointed oil minister.

Salem Abdulaziz Al Sabah Salem Abdulaziz Al Sabah (born 1 November 1951) is a Kuwaiti economist and politician who served as deputy prime minister and minister of finance from 4 August 2013 to January 2014. He is a member of the Kuwaiti ruling family, Al Sabah. Educatio ...

replaced Shamali as finance minister. Shamali was also made deputy prime minister in the same reshuffle. In addition, he is chairman of the board of the

Kuwait Investment Authority The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) is Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund, managing the state’s reserve and the state’s future generation fund (FGF). Founded in 1953, the KIA is the world's oldest sovereign wealth fund. As of April 2022, it ...

(KIA). In January 2014, Ali Al Omair was appointed oil minister and replaced him in the post.

The "Settling Score and Revenge Grilling" Incident

In March 2012, Musallam Al-Barrak, Chairman of Kuwait’s Public Funds’ Protection Committee announced that a motion would be filed against officials at the KIA by the

Popular Action Bloc The Popular Action Bloc ( ar, كتلة العمل الشعبي) is a political bloc in Kuwait headed by veteran former Speaker Ahmed Al-Sadoun. The group focuses on populist issues like housing, salary raises, and reform. Expulsion of Shiite MPs ...

, in relation to payments made by the KIA to Kuwaiti companies. In a public statement, Al-Barrak stated that Al-Shamali would be “stopped and held accountable for failing to protect public funds” against corruption. Al-Shamali resigned at the podium during the grilling after answering and addressing all the points raised by Al-Barrak, claiming the whole affair was a political "witch-hunt", and revenge by Al- Barrak and members of the opposition in the National Assembly. The questioning session “deviated from serving the public interest and is for revenge and settling scores with the finance minister and some of his aides” stated Al-Shamali, and resignation mark fresh tensions with the government which was 3 months old, which lead to the dissolution of the National Assembly soon after. Al-Shamali return to the new government after the dissolution of the National Assembly, with the confident of the Prime Minister, and His Highness the Emir of Kuwait.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shamali, Mustafa Jassem Al 1943 births Living people Ain Shams University alumni Finance ministers of Kuwait Oil ministers of Kuwait