Egypt’s new Cabinet was sworn in before President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Presidential Palace Saturday morning. Headed by former petroleum minister Sherif Ismail, the new Cabinet saw 16 replacements and includes 33 portfolios, down from 36 in the previous line-up. The ministries of health and population were merged as well as the ministries of technical education and education and scientific research and higher education. Ismail appointed new ministers of tourism, agriculture, local development, transportation, international cooperation, culture, communication and information technology, petroleum, manpower, trade and industry, military production, scientific research and higher education and health. Egypt’s new Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou had previously been Minister before being removed by the former Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb. The move has been described as a ‘surprise’, particularly as his name had not been among those posed for the position. The Ministry of Transitional Justice was renamed Ministry of Legal Affairs and Parliament and a new Ministry of State for Migration and Egyptian Affairs Abroad was formed. Meanwhile, two women are among the 16 new ministers. Former diplomat Nabila Makram Ebeid was sworn in as Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs,…
