KIGALI, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Friday swore in six new ministers late Thursday in a major cabinet reshuffle.

The new ministers are Minister of Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Local Government, Minister of ICT and Innovation, and Minister of Gender and Family Promotion.

Women hold about 50 percent of cabinet portfolios after they obtain the positions of Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of ICT and Innovation in the downsized cabinet, whose size decreases from 31 to 26 members.

Kagame urged the cabinet at the swearing-in ceremony to commit to transforming Rwanda and lives of its citizens.

Other senior officials sworn in at the ceremony were new Inspector General of Police and a deputy.

The reshuffle came a week after then foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo was elected as Secretary General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, which represents about one third of the United Nations' member states and accounts for a population of about 900 million people, including 274 million French speakers.