Egypt’s New Cabinet
Egypt swore in a new cabinet on Thursday, replacing key ministers including defense and interior in a major reshuffle after President El-Sisi won a second term in office
Dr. Shaul Shay
| 17/06/2018
President E-Sisi with the new cabinet (Source: Egypt's Presidential Spokesman Facebook page)
A new cabinet headed by newly appointed Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who previously served as the housing minister, was sworn in before Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi on June 14, 2018.
The new cabinet replaces that of former PM Sherif Ismail, which submitted its resignation to President El-Sisi last week, following the latter’s swearing-in for a second term as president on June 2, 2018.
The new cabinet includes 12 new ministers out of a total of 32, including new ministers for the defense and interior.
Mohamed Zaki, former chief of Egypt's Republican Guard, was sworn in as Egypt's 25th defense minister to succeed Sedkyi Sobhy, and Mahmoud Tawfik, head of the country's National Security Agency, was sworn in as the new interior minister, replacing Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar. President El-Sisi held a meeting with all four on Thursday, where he praised the coordination and cooperation between the two ministries to confront terrorism, and boost security and stability in Egypt. El-Sisi expressed his respect and appreciation to the Armed Forces' soldiers and Interior Ministry personnel, stressing that the Egyptian people appreciate their precious sacrifices to spread security and peace throughout the country.
According to an announcement published on June 15, 2018, the Egyptian President appointed former Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, former Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi and former Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar as presidential aides.
The decision, made effective by presidential decree, appoints former Prime Minister Ismail as the presidential aide for national and strategic projects. Former Defense Minister Sobhi has been appointed as the president's aide for defense affairs, and former Interior Minister Abdel-Ghaffar as the presidential advisor for security and counterterrorism affairs.
In October 2017, El-Sissi replaced his armed forces chief of staff, Mahmoud Hegazy, who had held the post since March 2014. He appointed former defense ministry secretary general Mohammed Farid Hegazy to the post, without giving a reason for the change. Mahmoud Hegazy was named a presidential adviser. At the same time, the Interior Ministry dismissed the head of national security, a handful of generals, and a dozen senior leaders.
Since 2013, the country’s armed forces have faced an Islamist insurgency, including by the Islamic State group, with hundreds of policemen and soldiers killed. The insurgency is concentrated on North Sinai province, although ISIS has also extended its presence to southern Egypt and the Nile Delta, north of the capital. The reshuffle came after a deadly ambush by militants outside Cairo that killed 16 police.
New Defense Minister Mohamed Zaky
The new defense minister was born in 1956. He served in the infantry and participated in the campaign to liberate Kuwait in 1991 and served as the commander of the Paratrooper forces.
During the Presidency of Islamist Mohammed Morsi, Zaki was assigned as the commander of the Republican Guard. He is known for his pivotal role in the June 2013 uprising, which toppled former President Mohammed Morsi. In this capacity, Zaki refused Morsi’s demands to end protests against his rule by the use of force.
Zaki has been hailed for protecting Egypt’s presidential palaces during the June 2013 protests and for siding with the demands of the Egyptian people. He was also a key witness in a number of legal proceedings against Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
He has been serving as the head of the Republican Guard since August 2012 and was promoted to lieutenant general in January 2017.
Former Defense Minister Sedky Sobhy
Sohby graduated from the military school in 1976. He commanded the Third Field Army until 2009, stationed in Suez and South Sinai, and held the position of deputy chief of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He trained in the United States between 2004 and 2005 in the Army War College.
New Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik
Mahmoud Tawfik was born in August 1961 in the Gizah governorate and graduated from the Police Academy in 1981. Tawfik served in several departments within the ministry, mainly in national and state security departments. He later served as the deputy to the interior minister for national security, before being appointed in October 2017 as the chief of the National Security Agency. The new interior minister is known for his counter-terrorism initiatives and successful dismantling of many terrorist cells in recent years.
Former Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar
Abdel Ghaffar was born in the Menofia governorate and graduated from the Police Academy in 1974. He served as the head of homeland security department. In March 2015, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim was removed from his post as part of a cabinet reshuffle by President El-Sisi. Ibrahim was replaced by former head of the National Security Agency, Magdy Abdel Ghaffar. Ibrahim was appointed as advisor to the Prime Minister on security issues. In April 2015, Ghaffar reshuffled 22 top officials within the ministry, including several aides and general-directors within the Public Security Sector.
Summary
El-Sisi was re-elected in March 2018 in a vote in which he faced no serious competition after several potentially strong candidates were arrested or pressured into dropping out. El-Sisi’s previous Cabinet had resigned in keeping with the tradition of replacing the government at the start of a new presidential term. It is not clear what prompted the latest shake-up. But in previous transitions, senior ministers, including those of defense and interior, have remained at their posts.
Egypt launched a major military offensive in February 2018 aimed at ending the insurgency in Sinai and combatting militants in the Western Desert, near the Libyan border. One potential reason for the reshuffle may be dissatisfaction of El-Sisi from the results of the counter-terror campaign.
Egypt swore in a new cabinet on Thursday, replacing key ministers including defense and interior in a major reshuffle after President El-Sisi won a second term in office
President E-Sisi with the new cabinet (Source: Egypt's Presidential Spokesman Facebook page)
A new cabinet headed by newly appointed Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who previously served as the housing minister, was sworn in before Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi on June 14, 2018.
The new cabinet replaces that of former PM Sherif Ismail, which submitted its resignation to President El-Sisi last week, following the latter’s swearing-in for a second term as president on June 2, 2018.
The new cabinet includes 12 new ministers out of a total of 32, including new ministers for the defense and interior.
Mohamed Zaki, former chief of Egypt's Republican Guard, was sworn in as Egypt's 25th defense minister to succeed Sedkyi Sobhy, and Mahmoud Tawfik, head of the country's National Security Agency, was sworn in as the new interior minister, replacing Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar. President El-Sisi held a meeting with all four on Thursday, where he praised the coordination and cooperation between the two ministries to confront terrorism, and boost security and stability in Egypt. El-Sisi expressed his respect and appreciation to the Armed Forces' soldiers and Interior Ministry personnel, stressing that the Egyptian people appreciate their precious sacrifices to spread security and peace throughout the country.
According to an announcement published on June 15, 2018, the Egyptian President appointed former Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, former Defense Minister Sedki Sobhi and former Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar as presidential aides.
The decision, made effective by presidential decree, appoints former Prime Minister Ismail as the presidential aide for national and strategic projects. Former Defense Minister Sobhi has been appointed as the president's aide for defense affairs, and former Interior Minister Abdel-Ghaffar as the presidential advisor for security and counterterrorism affairs.
In October 2017, El-Sissi replaced his armed forces chief of staff, Mahmoud Hegazy, who had held the post since March 2014. He appointed former defense ministry secretary general Mohammed Farid Hegazy to the post, without giving a reason for the change. Mahmoud Hegazy was named a presidential adviser. At the same time, the Interior Ministry dismissed the head of national security, a handful of generals, and a dozen senior leaders.
Since 2013, the country’s armed forces have faced an Islamist insurgency, including by the Islamic State group, with hundreds of policemen and soldiers killed. The insurgency is concentrated on North Sinai province, although ISIS has also extended its presence to southern Egypt and the Nile Delta, north of the capital. The reshuffle came after a deadly ambush by militants outside Cairo that killed 16 police.
New Defense Minister Mohamed Zaky
The new defense minister was born in 1956. He served in the infantry and participated in the campaign to liberate Kuwait in 1991 and served as the commander of the Paratrooper forces.
During the Presidency of Islamist Mohammed Morsi, Zaki was assigned as the commander of the Republican Guard. He is known for his pivotal role in the June 2013 uprising, which toppled former President Mohammed Morsi. In this capacity, Zaki refused Morsi’s demands to end protests against his rule by the use of force.
Zaki has been hailed for protecting Egypt’s presidential palaces during the June 2013 protests and for siding with the demands of the Egyptian people. He was also a key witness in a number of legal proceedings against Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
He has been serving as the head of the Republican Guard since August 2012 and was promoted to lieutenant general in January 2017.
Former Defense Minister Sedky Sobhy
Sohby graduated from the military school in 1976. He commanded the Third Field Army until 2009, stationed in Suez and South Sinai, and held the position of deputy chief of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He trained in the United States between 2004 and 2005 in the Army War College.
New Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik
Mahmoud Tawfik was born in August 1961 in the Gizah governorate and graduated from the Police Academy in 1981. Tawfik served in several departments within the ministry, mainly in national and state security departments. He later served as the deputy to the interior minister for national security, before being appointed in October 2017 as the chief of the National Security Agency. The new interior minister is known for his counter-terrorism initiatives and successful dismantling of many terrorist cells in recent years.
Former Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar
Abdel Ghaffar was born in the Menofia governorate and graduated from the Police Academy in 1974. He served as the head of homeland security department. In March 2015, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim was removed from his post as part of a cabinet reshuffle by President El-Sisi. Ibrahim was replaced by former head of the National Security Agency, Magdy Abdel Ghaffar. Ibrahim was appointed as advisor to the Prime Minister on security issues. In April 2015, Ghaffar reshuffled 22 top officials within the ministry, including several aides and general-directors within the Public Security Sector.
Summary
El-Sisi was re-elected in March 2018 in a vote in which he faced no serious competition after several potentially strong candidates were arrested or pressured into dropping out. El-Sisi’s previous Cabinet had resigned in keeping with the tradition of replacing the government at the start of a new presidential term. It is not clear what prompted the latest shake-up. But in previous transitions, senior ministers, including those of defense and interior, have remained at their posts.
Egypt launched a major military offensive in February 2018 aimed at ending the insurgency in Sinai and combatting militants in the Western Desert, near the Libyan border. One potential reason for the reshuffle may be dissatisfaction of El-Sisi from the results of the counter-terror campaign.
