Who’s Who: Meet Egypt’s New Ministers

 

Egypt’s Cabinet of Ministers announced its new ministerial lineup on Wednesday, July 3rd, one month following the resignation of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s government.

Madbouly will continue to lead the new government, a role he has held since 2018.

As part of the new ministerial lineup, several ministries have also been merged: the Ministry of Transport has been merged with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of International Cooperation has been merged with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Emigration and Expatriate Affairs has been merged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Investment has been introduced and merged with External Trade.

Below is a short background of each new minister.

Lieutenant General Abdel Majeed Saqr, Minister of Defense

Lieutenant General Abdul Majeed Saqr, born in 1962, holds a bachelor’s degree in military sciences from the Military College, a fellowship from the National Defense College, and a master’s degree in military sciences from the Military Academy for Postgraduate and Strategic Studies.

Throughout his career in the Armed Forces, he ascended through various roles across different departments and bodies, including the administration of the Republican Guard and the presidency of the Military Police Department. His career culminated in his appointment as Assistant Minister of Defense in 2015 and later as Governor of Suez in 2018.

He has also been honored with several awards and decorations, including the Military Duty Medal, first class, and the Long Service and Good Example Medal.

Ambassador Badr Abdel-Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emmigration 

Ambassador Badr Abdel-Aty, born in 1966, earned his PhD in International Relations from Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science in 2003.

Prior to that, he obtained a Master’s degree in International Relations in 1996 and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 1987, both from the same university.

Abdel-Aty held the post of Egypt’s Ambassador to Germany from 2015 to 2019. Since 2022, he has also served as Egypt’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union.

From 2012 to 2013, Abdel-Aty held the position of Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for the European Union and Western European Affairs. From 2013 to 2015, he held multiple roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Deputy Assistant Minister, Spokesperson, and head of the Public Diplomacy Department.

Previously, he served as the Director of Palestinian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2008.

Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development

Khaled Abdel Ghaffer has been newly appointed as Deputy Prime Minister, alongside his continuing role as Minister of Health and Population.

​​Previously, he served as Head of the Department of Oral Medicine, Periodontology, Diagnosis, and Radiology at the Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University, from 2009 to November 2015.

During his tenure as Dean of Dentistry starting in 2014, he played a key role in enhancing the department with cutting-edge dental equipment. He also held the position of Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research.

Kamel Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Affairs and Transport

Kamel Wazir has been newly appointed as Deputy Prime Minister, alongside his continuing role as Minister of Transport and Industry.

Wazir pursued Civil and Architectural Engineering at the Military Technical College, complemented by a Master’s degree in Military Sciences. He played a pivotal role in significant national projects in Egypt, including the excavation of the new Suez Canal and the development of the Al Galala Plateau in Ain Sukhna.

Adnan Al-Fangary, Minister of Justice

Born in 1953, Fangary most recently served as the head of the Alexandria Court of Appeal and has been a member of the Supreme Judicial Council since 2022.

Prior to his tenure as president of the Alexandria Appeals Court, he held leadership roles at the Beni Suef Court of Appeal and the Assiut Court of Appeal.

Since 2021, he also served as President of the Court of Cassation in Qena.

He was appointed Assistant Public Prosecutor by Republican Decree No. 271 of 2006 and served as Director of Judicial Inspection at the Public Prosecution from 2006 to 2012, showcasing his extensive judicial experience.

Fangary graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law and began his career in the Public Prosecution, advancing steadily through various judicial positions.

Sameh El-Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation

Born in 1966, Sameh El-Hefny’s career includes serving as President of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority from January 2018 to January 2019, and as Chairman and CEO of EgyptAir from March 2014 to September 2015.

El-Hefny has also been a member of several Executive Committees and Boards, including the IATA Board of Governors (BOG), Star Alliance Board of Directors, Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation (EHCAAN) Board, Cairo Airport Company (CAC) Board, and the Executive Committee of the Arab Air-Carrier Organization (AACO).

He holds a PhD in Aviation Crisis Management, an MBA in Aerospace Management, an MPA in Public Administration from the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, a BA in Business Administration from Ain Shams University, and a Bachelor’s in Aviation Science Management from the Egyptian Aviation Academy.

El-Hefny is also qualified as a captain, instructor, and examiner for Airbus 330/340 aircraft.

Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities

Born in 1981, Sherif El-Sherbiny is considered to be the youngest minister in the new ministerial formation.

He completed his studies at Zagazig University’s Faculty of Engineering in 2005 and was selected to join the engineering team of the New Urban Communities Authority, a recognition reserved for exceptional students.

His career began at the Badr City Authority where, from 2005 to 2007, he oversaw water, drainage, irrigation, road networks, and the implementation of stations, cranes, treatment plants, and transmission lines.

From 2014 to 2018, he acted as assistant to the head of the Badr City Authority, coordinating across departments, overseeing project implementation—including social housing, city main axis efficiency enhancement, Cairo-Ismailia Desert Road entry construction, and bridge projects—and managing road projects.

He also held the role of Deputy Chairman of the New Cairo City Authority in 2017, overseeing infrastructure projects like the Beit Al Watan project and major road and axis initiatives.

He held leadership roles as Head of the Shorouk City Authority from 2018 to 2019, Head of the 6th of October City Authority in 2019, and Director of the Information Center at the New Urban Communities Authority.

Since 2021, El-Sherbiny has been serving as Head of the New Administrative Capital Authority.

Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance 

Ahmed Kouchouk earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo in 1998, followed by a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Yorkshire in 2002, and another Master’s degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2010.

His academic focus included studies in microeconomics and growth diagnostics, aiming to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of economic frameworks for fostering growth in developing countries. He also conducted research in macroeconomics and public financial management.

Beginning his career as an economic researcher at the Ministry of Economy from 1999 to 2001, Kouchouk later served as an economist there from 2002 to 2004, and as an assistant at the American University from 2007 to 2008.

From 2010 to 2013, Kouchouk held the position of Director of the Macro-Fiscal Policies Unit at the Ministry of Finance.

He then worked as an economist at the World Bank in Cairo from June 2013 to March 2016, before being appointed Deputy Minister of Finance for Fiscal Policies from March 2016 onwards.

Throughout his career, Kouchouk has played significant roles in several key economic initiatives for Egypt, notably leading negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and overseeing the country’s loans from the Fund.

Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources

Born in 1984, Karim Badawi began his career with Schlumberger (now SLB) in 1996 as a Field Engineer in Indonesia.

Badawi earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Mechanical Engineering from the American University in Cairo. Additionally, he holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Earlier in his career, he held roles such as Wireline Product Line Global Training and Development Manager in Paris, Operations Manager for Egypt and East Africa in Cairo, Training Center Manager in Alexandria, and Field Service Manager in Aberdeen. Badawi started his career as a Wireline Field Engineer in Aberdeen and Indonesia.

Over the past 28 years, he has held various roles spanning Aberdeen, Egypt, Paris, Houston, Russia, and Central Asia, before returning to Egypt. Since May 2018, Badawi has served as the Director of SLB New Energy – Middle East & North Africa, based in Cairo.

In this capacity, he oversees the development of the company’s portfolios in Characterization, Drilling, Production, Integrated, and Cameron projects across the region.

Badawi also held several executive roles in Moscow, including Reservoir Characterization Manager for Russia and Central Asia, and Vice President for Shared Services in the same region. He also served as Global Business Systems Manager for Operations based in Houston.

Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity

Since 2016, Morsy has held the role of President of the National Council for Women (NCW). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the American University in Cairo in 1995, followed by an MBA from the City University of Seattle in 1997 and an MA in Public Administration from the same institution in 1998.

In 2008, she completed her PhD in Public Policy from the Institute of Arab Research and Studies in Cairo.

Her career includes serving as the Regional Gender Team Leader for the Arab Region at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2014 to 2015, and as a Project Coordinator at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) from 1999 to 2000.

Previously, she worked as a Consultant for the Girls Education and Empowerment Project at the Ministry of Education from 1998 to 1999, and as a Project Officer in Egypt at the Sustainable Human Development Platform for Action and Monitoring from 1995 to 1998.

In 2022, she was elected by UN member states to serve on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) for the term spanning from 2023 to 2026.

Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Trade and Investment

From 2019 to 2023, Hassan El-Khatib served as a Non-Executive Board Member of the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Egypt.

Previously, he held the role of Managing Director, Equity at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) from 2014 to 2023, where he oversaw the bank’s direct investments, Equity Funds, and the Equity Portfolio Management Unit across its 38 countries of operations.

Prior to this, from June 2012 to March 2014, he was the Director for the Southern Eastern Mediterranean Region, Industry Commerce, and Agribusiness at EBRD.

From June 2011 to June 2012, Hassan El Khatib served as Chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Development Company, Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh Hotel Company, and the Egyptian Touristic Company.

Prior to that, between 2007 and June 2011, he held several key roles at the Carlyle Group, a MENA investment fund.

He is a founder, board member, and member of the Executive Committee of the Misr Elkhair Foundation.

He has held leadership positions including Chairman of the Egyptian Private Equity Association, Chairman of the Egyptian Junior Business Association, and board memberships at the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES) and the Egyptian National Competitive Council.

He also served as a Board Member and Treasurer of the American Chamber of Commerce.

Usama al-Sayyid Al-Azhari, Minister of Religious Endowments

Sheikh Usama al-Sayyid Al-Azhari’s background includes teaching roles at Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, where he imparts knowledge in Hadith, Logic, and Islamic Creed.

He also holds a teaching position at the Faculty of Usul Al-Din and Da‘wah at Al-Azhar University, demonstrating his academic depth and commitment to religious education.

Since October 2014, Sheikh Al-Azhari has served as an Advisor to the President for Religious Affairs, bringing his expertise and insight to matters of religious significance and policy.

His appointment marks a continuation of his dedicated service within Al-Azhar and his expanded role in national religious leadership.

Manal Awad Mikhail, Minister of Local Development

Manal Awad Mikhail is once again making history as the first woman to be appointed Minister of Local Development. This achievement follows her tenure in 2018 when she became the first female Coptic Christian appointed as Governor of Damietta.

Prior to her current role, Mikhail served as Deputy Governor of Giza for Community Service and Environmental Development starting in 2015. Her earlier career included a role as Deputy Director of the Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute (VSVRI) at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mikhail’s academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Sciences from Benha University in 1989. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Alexandria University in 1995 and a PhD in Medical Sciences from the same institution in 1999.

Her contributions to scientific research were recognized with the State Incentive Award in Scientific Studies in 2007.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Mikhail received the UNESCO Learning Cities Award in 2017, highlighting her dedication to advancing education and community development initiatives.

Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities

Sherif Fathy served as the Minister of Civil Aviation in Sherif Ismail’s cabinet from March 2016 to June 2018.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and has pursued numerous studies and training courses in senior management.

His career spans various leadership roles internationally, including serving as Regional Manager for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest Airlines. Additionally, he held the position of Regional Manager for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the Middle East and North Africa.

Fathy’s experience also includes roles such as Advisor to the Chairman of the Holding Company for EgyptAir, General Manager of Revenue Maximization and International Organizations at EgyptAir, Chairman of Air Cairo, and CEO of Air Arabia.

Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy

Since August 13, 2022, Esmat has held the position of Minister of Public Business Sector.

He graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University and later earned a PhD in Engineering from Dalhousie University in Canada.

Previously, Esmat served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Airports Holding Company from 2014 to 2016, and prior to that, he held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cairo Airport from 2013 to 2014.

Under his leadership as President of Cairo Airport, advancements were achieved, including the establishment of Terminal 2 with a capacity for seven million passengers.

He also oversaw the development and expansion of Burj Al Arab Airport, Hurghada Airport, and Sharm El Sheikh Airport.

Mohamed Abdel-Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education

Abdel-Latif previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Nermien Ismail Schools. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Travel Services Management from the University of Helwan.

He furthered his education with a master’s degree in business development from Lawrence University in the United States.

Abdel-Latif also holds a PhD in Education Reform from Cardiff Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.

Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade

Sherif Farouk served as President of the National Postal Authority for several years since 2020.

Prior to this role, Dr. Sherif Farouk held pivotal positions including First Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Nasser Social Bank, where he played a key role in enhancing the bank’s operations.

His management expertise also includes serving as the first General Manager of Egyptian Gulf Bank and contributing to the restructuring of several joint banks, including the transformation of the National Development Bank into Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.

Mahmoud Fawzy, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Political Communication

Mahmoud Fawzy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Law in 2000, followed by a master’s degree in Private and Public Law in 2002.

He furthered his education with a master’s degree in International and Comparative Law from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in the United States in 2009. In October 2023, Fawzy resigned from his role as Deputy Head of the Council of State to oversee President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Prior to this, he led the Technical Secretariat in the National Dialogue and currently serves as the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation.

Ahmed Hanno, Minister of Culture

Ahmed Hanno graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, specializing in Printmaking, in 1992. He continued his academic journey by earning a master’s degree in Experimental Animation Films from Cairo University in 1997.

Since 2020, Hanno has served as the Dean of the Art and Design Department at Galala University.

Prior to this role, he held the position of Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Helwan University. Professor Hanno holds a PhD in Art Philosophy and History, Visual Communication, and Animation Films from Kassel University in Germany, as well as another PhD in Philosophy of Art.

He is renowned for founding the Animation Department within the National Board of Culture Centers at the Ministry of Culture. Additionally, Hanno has contributed to the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) as a member of its selective committee.

Mohamed Gobran, Minister of Labour

Mohamed Gobran began his career in the General Union of Petroleum Workers, steadily ascending through its ranks and assuming pivotal roles over the years.

In 2013, he was elected Secretary General of the General Petroleum Syndicate, a position he held for a four-year term. His leadership was further recognized when he was elected President of the General Petroleum Syndicate, serving from 2018 to 2022.

In 2022, he assumed the presidency of the General Federation of Egyptian Trade Unions.

He also represented Egypt on the international stage at the International Labor Organization’s International Labor Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in 2023, contributing to the Committee on the Application of International Standards and Conventions.

In addition to his union responsibilities, he holds board positions in prominent organizations within the Egyptian petroleum sector, including the Egyptian Petroleum Services Company, the Supreme Medical Council of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, and the Housing and Social Services Fund of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation.