Egypt: secrets behind the cabinet reshuffle
Sisi's cabinet shuffle yesterday reflects the nature of alliances and divisions between different cabinet ministers and the Egyptian president.
3 min read
Sisi kicked out several ministers in the cabinet reshuffle [Getty]
A well-informed source has leaked information to al-Araby al-Jadeed about yesterday's cabinet reshuffle in the Egyptian government, especially the dismissal of former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, a leading figure in the coup against former president Mohammad Morsi.
"There was a dispute between national security advisor Ahmed Gamal al-Din and former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim. Din threw Ibrahim out of the ministry," the source said.
The source explained that the dispute between the two men has intensified over the last few months after Din complained about the former minister's performance. Din also told President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi his policies had seriously failed to address security issues in the county.
Ibrahim was reportedly dismissed for several reasons including: the killing of Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, the 30 June stadium massacre, and his failure to improve the ministry's performance and fully cooperate with the army to protect state institutions.
According to reports presented to Sisi, Ibrahim did not change any of the ministry's policies in dealing with different problems, such as tackling crime or the recent wave of bombings, the source explained.
"The minister was dismissed a few days before the Economic Development Conference and could be an attempt to send a message to the international community and western countries that adjustments have been made to Egypt's security policies," the source added.
The source explained Sisi had received reports former minister of education Mahmoud Abu al-Nasr had mismanaged funds allocated to his office, and failed to make significant advances building schools even though he had received a UAE grant to do so.
Sisi had also thought for a long time that former minister of tourism, Hisham Zazou, had failed to communicate with foreign countries about increasing the number of tourist travelling to Egypt. However, Sisi kept him in his position as a gesture of good will because he had handed in his resignation before Morsi was kicked out of office.
The same thing happened to former minister of communications Atef Helmy, who resigned on 30 June 2013. Reports said he failed to set up electronic government services and windows for investment, which Sisi wanted completed before the Economic Conference.
The source added that former minister of agriculture Adel al-Beltagy was dismissed because, Sisi did not think he was active enough because of his age although he complied with all the projects he was assigned to. Sisi, however, thought he has not been productive enough.
"The reshuffle was timed so that it would not affect the work of the ministries involved in the Economic Conference, especially in agriculture and tourism," a source in the government explained.
Sisi had dismissed the former minister of agriculture because of protests against the ministry's policies that have been going on several months. The most recent protests was held outside the Journalists Syndicate around two weeks ago.
"Former minister of culture Gaber Asfour was dismissed because he holds different beliefs about al-Azhar mosque. His opinions were against some Islamic beliefs, leading to accusations that the current government is being anti-Islamic," the source added.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
"There was a dispute between national security advisor Ahmed Gamal al-Din and former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim. Din threw Ibrahim out of the ministry," the source said.
The source explained that the dispute between the two men has intensified over the last few months after Din complained about the former minister's performance. Din also told President Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi his policies had seriously failed to address security issues in the county.
Ibrahim was reportedly dismissed for several reasons including: the killing of Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, the 30 June stadium massacre, and his failure to improve the ministry's performance and fully cooperate with the army to protect state institutions.
According to reports presented to Sisi, Ibrahim did not change any of the ministry's policies in dealing with different problems, such as tackling crime or the recent wave of bombings, the source explained.
"The minister was dismissed a few days before the Economic Development Conference and could be an attempt to send a message to the international community and western countries that adjustments have been made to Egypt's security policies," the source added.
The source explained Sisi had received reports former minister of education Mahmoud Abu al-Nasr had mismanaged funds allocated to his office, and failed to make significant advances building schools even though he had received a UAE grant to do so.
 |
Sisi received reports former minister of education Mahmoud Abu al-Nasr had mismanaged funds allocated to his office. |
Sisi had also thought for a long time that former minister of tourism, Hisham Zazou, had failed to communicate with foreign countries about increasing the number of tourist travelling to Egypt. However, Sisi kept him in his position as a gesture of good will because he had handed in his resignation before Morsi was kicked out of office.
The same thing happened to former minister of communications Atef Helmy, who resigned on 30 June 2013. Reports said he failed to set up electronic government services and windows for investment, which Sisi wanted completed before the Economic Conference.
The source added that former minister of agriculture Adel al-Beltagy was dismissed because, Sisi did not think he was active enough because of his age although he complied with all the projects he was assigned to. Sisi, however, thought he has not been productive enough.
"The reshuffle was timed so that it would not affect the work of the ministries involved in the Economic Conference, especially in agriculture and tourism," a source in the government explained.
Sisi had dismissed the former minister of agriculture because of protests against the ministry's policies that have been going on several months. The most recent protests was held outside the Journalists Syndicate around two weeks ago.
"Former minister of culture Gaber Asfour was dismissed because he holds different beliefs about al-Azhar mosque. His opinions were against some Islamic beliefs, leading to accusations that the current government is being anti-Islamic," the source added.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
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