Egypt swears in a new Cabinet as mounting economic challenges fuel public discontent

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s new government was sworn in Wednesday as the country faces an ailing economy and raging conflicts in neighboring nations.

Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly — who was first appointed in 2018— has been again tapped to form the new Cabinet which includes several technocrats.

Some ministers, including those in charge of police and tourism, remain in place, but others, particularly defense, foreign affairs and economy-related portfolios, represent major challenges,

The ministers took the oath before President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo.

Among the changes were the finance, electricity, justice, petroleum, education and investment portfolios.

The new government comes three months after el-Sissi was sworn in for his third term.

Badr Abdelatty, who was Egypt’s envoy to several European countries including Germany and Belgium, has been named Foreign and Migration Minister. The 58-year-old diplomat replaced Sameh Shoukry, 72, who led the country’s diplomacy for the past decade.

Gen. Abdel-Majeed Sakr replaced Gen. Mohamed Zaki who was on top of the defence portfolio since June 2018.

Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar, who oversees the country’s police, remains in place, as well as former military general Kamel el-Wazir as minister of transportation and industry.

Samy Magdy, The Associated Press