Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq meets with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (not pictured) at al-Alam palace in Muscat, Oman February 21, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds

DUBAI, June 16 (Reuters) – Oman’s ruling sultan replaced the Gulf Arab state’s long-serving oil minister Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Rumhi on Thursday with Salem al-Aufi who was appointed to the post in a cabinet reshuffle announced on state television.

Rumhi had been oil minister for over two decades. Oman is not in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries but is a member of the OPEC+ alliance of OPEC and non-OPEC nations.

Aufi, whose appointment was the most notable change in the cabinet reshuffle, was previously undersecretary at the energy and minerals ministry.

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on Thursday also issued a decree establishing a higher justice council.