Egypt has refreshed its Cabinet, installing a new defense minister and 13 other officials as authorities attempt to steady the country amid economic strain and intensifying regional tensions.
The swearing-in took place on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace, with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi presiding over the ceremony, the AP reported. Among those taking the oath was Ashraf Salem, who assumes the role of defense minister, alongside ministers whose appointments were cleared by parliament a day earlier. The shake-up spans key sectors including housing, higher education, communications, youth and sports. Egypt last reconfigured its Cabinet in July 2024.
The restructuring also brings new leadership to critical economic portfolios. Ahmed Rostom, a senior economist at the World Bank, has been assigned to the planning ministry, while Mohamed Farid Saleh, who previously chaired the Financial Regulatory Authority, has been moved to head the Ministry of Investment.
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Government communications also see a revival, with authorities reintroducing the information ministry after it was scrapped in 2021. Diaa Rashwan, who leads the State Information Service, has been tapped as state minister of information.
All the ministers sworn in were nominated by el-Sissi, who met with Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly ahead of parliament’s approval vote on Tuesday.
The Cabinet changes come as Egypt continues to grapple with economic headwinds linked to multiple external and domestic shocks. The country has endured prolonged austerity under an International Monetary Fund program launched in 2016, followed by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Egypt’s foreign currency inflows have also taken a hit following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The disruptions have diverted vessels away from the Suez Canal, cutting into revenue from one of the country’s most important income streams.
Data released Tuesday by Egypt’s statistics agency shows inflation eased slightly, with the annual rate recorded at 10.1% in January, down from 10.3% in December.
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Authorities have meanwhile moved to cushion households from rising living costs. In 2025, the government increased the minimum monthly wage for workers in both public and private sectors to 7,000 pounds ($138), up from 6,000 pounds ($118.58).
