Introducing your new government: Last night, the air was abuzz with leaks of who Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly picked to sit at his new government, with close to 20 new faces set to take over ministries.

It’s about time: We’ve been waiting for the announcement of a new cabinet for months now, after President Abdel Fattah El Sisi kicked off his third term back in April as a new cabinet is usually sworn in with every new presidential term.

Some big names are keeping their positions: Among those that retained their ministries is Rania Al Mashat (LinkedIn), who will be back with a larger remit and hold the portfolios of the Planning and Economic Development Ministry along with the International Cooperation Ministry. The move will mean that we will say farewell to Planning and Economic Development Minister Hala El Said.

There’s more: Another high-level minister, Kamel El Wazir (bio), is also back and will be likewise taking over the some of the responsibilities of the Industry Ministry in addition to the Transport Ministry. The move will see Ahmed Samir leave his position as the Trade and Industry Minister.

And of course, Madbouly is still at the helm. Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly submitted his soon-to-be former government’s resignation in early June and agreed with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to choose and “form a new government that includes the necessary expertise and competencies to manage the next phase.”

We will also be saying goodbye to some high-level ministers and welcoming some new faces: Ahmed Kouchouk (LinkedIn) is going to head the Finance Ministry, replacing Mohamed Maait, who had the ministry since 2018. Kouchouk served as the vice minister of finance for fiscal policies and institutional reforms for over eight years, during which he played an important role in the IMF negotiations.

Analysts think Kouchouk is a good choice: “It’s a good news appointment — well known and liked by the markets,” Bloomberg reported FIM Partners’ Charlie Robertson as saying. Robertson added that Kouchouk is seen as a continuity candidate, which is important “when a primary goal is to get interest rates down.”

The Investment Ministry is back: The new cabinet will include the long-shelved Investment and Foreign Trade Ministry — a move that aligns with state efforts to boost FDI and FX inflows. The newly revived ministry will be headed by Hassan El Khatib (bio), who has had a 35-year career that saw him work in a number of investment banks.

The Supply and Internal Trade Ministry will be headed by Sherif Farouk (LinkedIn), replacing Aly El Moselhy, who has come under increasing pressure amid commodity shortages and spiraling inflation in recent years. Farouk is the chairperson of Egypt Post and former CEO of Nasser Social Bank.

A new face from the private sector at the Oil Ministry: With the government’s energy policy and energy investments being a hot topic of conversation on the airwaves, in the local business press, and on the street corner, the Oil and Energy Resources Ministry will also welcome a new face to head the ministry, with Karim Badawi (LinkedIn) set to replace Tarek El Molla. Badawi is the current MENA director of US-based oil player SLB.

The Electricity Ministry will also see Mohamed Shaker leaving and come under new management with Mahmoud Esmat (bio) who is set to leave his current position as the Public Enterprises minister.

Foreign affairs veteran Sameh Shoukry is also out: The new government will see Badr Abdelatty (bio) replace outgoing Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and outgoing Immigration Minister Soha Gendi as Abdelatty takes over the responsibilities of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Immigration Ministry. Abdelatty is no stranger to diplomacy, having held a number of diplomatic roles that included serving as Egypt’s ambassador to Germany and Egypt’s ambassador to the EU.

WHO ELSE IS IN THE NEW CABINET?-

  • DEFENSE- General Abdel Maguid Sakr (bio) replaces General Mohamed Zaki. Sakr was previously the governor of Suez.
  • INTERIOR- Mahmoud Tawfik (bio) keeps his position, which he has held since 2018.
  • JUSTICE - Adnan El Fangary (bio) replaces Omar Marwan. Fangary previously held a number of positions within Egypt’s courts.
  • EDUCATION- Mohamed Abdellatif (bio) replaces Reda Hegazy. Abdellatif is the current CEO of Nermein Ismail schools.
  • HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH- Ayman Ashour (LinkedIn) has kept his position. He has been in his post since 2022 after taking over from Abdel Ghaffar who left his post to become the Health minister.
  • HEALTH AND POPULATION- Khaled Abdel Ghaffar (bio) has kept his position. He assumed his role in 2021 after taking over from former Health Minister Hala Zayed.
  • TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES- Sherif Fathy (Wikipedia) replaces Ahmed Eissa. Fathy was the country’s civil aviation minister between 2016 and 2018.
  • HOUSING- Sherif El Sherbini (bio) replaces Assem El Gazzar. El Sherbini was the head of the 6th of October City Development Authority.
  • AGRICULTURE- Alaa Farouk (LinkedIn) replaces El Sayed El Quseir. Farouk is the current chairman of the Agricultural Bank of Egypt and has held several positions at the National Bank of Egypt.
  • IRRIGATION AND WATER RESOURCES- Hani Sewilam (bio) has kept his position — he was appointed in 2022.
  • COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY- Amr Talaat (bio) has kept his position, which he has held since 2018.
  • ENVIRONMENT- Yasmine Fouad (bio) keeps her post in the Environment Ministry, which she has held since 2018.
  • ENDOWMENTS- Usama Al Azhari (bio) replaces Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa. Al Azhari is a renowned scholar, preacher, and academic who taught at Al Azhar University.
  • CULTURE- Ahmed Hanno (bio) replaces Nevine El Kilany. Hanno was the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Helwan University, before heading the Art and Design Faculty in Galala University in 2020.
  • LABOUR- Mohamed Gobran (bio) replaces Hassan Shehata. Gobran holds a BA in Commerce and is a veteran trade unionist. He was elected head of the General Oil Syndicate in 2018, President of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation in 2022, and President of the Central Council of the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions in April 2024.
  • CIVIL AVIATION- Sameh Elhefny (LinkedIn) replaces Mohamed Abbas Helmy. Elhefny was the chairman and CEO of EgyptAir between 2014 and 2015 and is currently a representative of Egypt in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s council.
  • LOCAL DEVELOPMENT- Manal Awad (bio) replaces Hisham Amna. Awad was previously the governor of Damietta.
  • PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS- Mahmoud Fawzy (bio) replaces Alaa Fouad. Fawzy was the legal advisor to the House speaker between 2016 and 2020, and the head of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's re-election campaign last year.
  • PUBLIC ENTERPRISES- Petroject’s former CEO, Mohamed El Shimi is a potential candidate to take over the Public Enterprises Ministry off Mahmoud Esmat’s hands, after he replaces Mohamed Shaker at the Electricity Ministry, according to Mostafa Bakry.
  • SOCIAL SOLIDARITY- Maya Morsy (LinkedIn) replaces Nevine El Kabbaj. Morsy is president of the National Council for Women and a regional advisor to the UNDP on gender policies.
  • SPORTS AND YOUTH- Ashraf Sobhy (bio) has kept his position, which has held onto since 2018.
  • STATE MINISTRY FOR MILITARY PRODUCTION- Mohamed Salah Eldin Moustafa (bio) kept his position, which he has held onto since 2022.

ALSO- Madbouly’s new cabinet also comes bearing a governors’ shuffle, with 21 of Egypt’s governorates expected to welcome new governors and the remaining six governorates to retain the same governor. Among the governorates set to get new governors in charge are Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez.

AND- Media councils and bodies are set for a shake-up in the coming days, a senior government official told Extra News The official added that new appointments will be issued after receiving nominations from professional syndicates, the House, and the Supreme Council of Universities.

Making it official: The new cabinet will be sworn in by President El Sisi later today at the Ittihadiya Palace, an unnamed government official told Extra News (watch, runtime: 00:51).

The international press also picked up the story: Reuters | Bloomberg.

Editors note: This story was updated to show that General Mohamed Zaki  was replaced by General Abdel Maguid Sakr at the Defense Ministry in the final cabinet line up. The story was also updated show that the Local Development Ministry is now headed by Manal Awad and not Abdel Maguid Sakr.

Tags: