Egypt’s Sisi reshuffles cabinet

Egyptian president Abdul Fattah El Sisi reshuffled his cabinet on March 23, 2016. Simela Pantzartzi/EPA

CAIRO // President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Wednesday swore in 10 new ministers in a cabinet reshuffle, as Egypt struggles to revive an economy battered by falling tourism revenues and foreign investments.

The government shake-up – mainly of economic portfolios – comes just six months after Mr El Sisi inaugurated a new administration led by prime minister Sharif Ismail, following the resignation of the previous cabinet after a corruption scandal.

The ministers of tourism, finance, investment, justice, civil aviation, irrigation, human resource and antiquities were replaced, and a new ministry for public works was added to the cabinet.

“Ten new ministers were sworn in by the president today,” Mr El Sisi’s office said without giving a reason for the reshuffle. The new cabinet consists of 34 ministers.

The reshuffle comes at a time when Egypt is facing a host of seemingly intractable problems, primarily an economy reeling from five years of unrest that has led to a severe slump in the vital tourism sector.

They also follow the recent devaluation by nearly 15 per cent of the country’s weakening currency, a move that led to a surge in prices.

Egyptian security forces are meanwhile embroiled in a conflict against extremists in the Sinai Peninsula who are proving to be tenacious while growing deadlier.

The reshuffle appeared to highlight the troubles faced by Egypt in some sectors.

The most important changes came in the portfolios of tourism, investment, finance and water resources.

Tourism, hit by years of political turmoil since the longtime leader Hosni Mubarak was ousted in 2011, was dealt a body blow after a bomb brought down a Russian airliner over the Sinai Peninsula on October 31.

All 224 people on board, mostly Russian tourists, were killed in an attack claimed by ISIL which is spearheading an insurgency in the peninsula.

Russia said the crash was caused by an explosive device. Responding to charges of lax security and negligence at its airports, Egypt has since tightened checks at airports and hired a British-based company to train Egyptian staff on airport security. Reflecting efforts to revive the country’s ailing economy is the creation of a new business sector portfolio, which will be mandated with encouraging and shepherding small start-ups.

The investment and finance ministers were also fired, both replaced by candidates plucked from the private sector.

The replacement of the water minister follows the lack of any tangible progress in drawn-out negotiations between Egypt and Ethiopia over the construction of a massive dam on the Nile by the Horn of Africa nation that will most likely affect Cairo’s vital share of the river’s water.

* Agence France-Presse and Associated Press