Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s new cabinet and provincial governors were sworn in in the presence of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz on Sunday at the Yamama Palace in Riyadh.

This follows a Royal Decree issued by King Salman on Thursday appointing the country’s new cabinet. Also present at Sunday’s ceremony were Crown Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz and Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, King Salman gave an impromptu speech during which he wished the new officials well and said that Saudi Arabia currently enjoyed security and stability.

“We ask God Almighty to bless us with gratitude for the bounties and gifts He has bestowed upon us and for loyalty to our nation and our people. This is how we have been raised since the time of our forbear kings, from King Abdulaziz Al Saud to King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, may God bless them,” King Salman said.

He also added that the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz had tasked him with “serving the people and religion before anything else” prior to his becoming monarch.

The cabinet’s first session is due to be held on Monday in the presence of King Salman.

Several key ministries will remain headed by ministers appointed by King Salman’s predecessor King Abdullah, including Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, and National Guard Minister Prince Miteb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz.

However, over a dozen new faces have joined the Saudi cabinet, most prominently Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz as Minister of Defense. He will be joined by Waleed Al-Samani as minister of justice, Saleh Al Al-Sheikh as minister of Islamic affairs, and former Asharq Al-Awsat editor-in-chief Adel Altoraifi as minister of culture and communications, among others.