CAIRO — Egypt’s new cabinet was sworn in Wednesday as the country faces a weakening economy and bitter conflicts in neighboring nations.
The new Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Minister Mustafa Madbouly, who has held the position since 2018, included important changes, particularly in the defense and economy-related portfolios. Some ministers, including those in charge of police, health and transport, remain in office.
The change comes as the country faces growing public discontent following years of economic mismanagement, the coronavirus pandemic and the fallout from wars in Europe and the Middle East. Additionally, a Western-backed reform program adopted in 2016 and backed by the president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi – has caused prices to skyrocket due to austerity measures. According to official figures, almost 30% of Egyptians currently live in poverty.
Mohamed Maait, the country’s finance minister since 2018, was replaced by his deputy Ahmed Kouchouk, a former World Bank economist who played a major role in implementing a reform program with the International Monetary Fund.
Earlier this year, the government floated the pound and sharply increased the main interest rate. Commercial banks now trade the US currency at more than 47 pounds, down from about 31 pounds. The measures are intended to combat balloon inflation. inflation and attract foreign investment.
This also came as Yemen’s Houthi attacks on sea routes in the Red Sea They have cut revenue from the Suez Canal
Egypt has been struggling to revive the lucrative tourism sector decimated by years of turmoil, the pandemic and, most recently, war in Europe and the Middle East. In the new cabinet, Sherif Fathy, former minister of civil aviation, replaced Ahmed Issa as minister of Tourism and Antiquities in the new government.
Another major point of contention is the recurring power outages during the summer heat in the country of more than 106 million inhabitants. Consequently, Mahmoud Esmat was appointed to oversee the Ministry of Electricity.
As conflicts increase Loop, Libya and Sudan a key portfolio of the Egyptian diplomatic leadership is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Badr Abdelatty, who has acted as Egypt’s envoy to European countries, including Germany and Belgium, has been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration. The 58-year-old diplomat replaced Sameh Shoukry, 72, who led the country’s diplomacy for the past decade.
In addition, General Abdel-Majeed Sakr replaced General Mohamed Zaki, who had headed the defense portfolio since June 2018.
The ministers, their deputies and provincial governors were sworn in at a presidential palace in Cairo before el-Sissi, elected in December for a third six-year term. El-Sissi chose Madbouly to form the new government last month.
The new Cabinet includes four women and several technocrats.
It comes three months after El-Sissi was sworn in for his third term. The former defense minister was first elected president in mid-2014 and then re-elected in 2018. A year later, constitutional amendmentsapproved in a general referendum, it added two years to El-Sissi’s second term and allowed him to run for a third six-year term.
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