Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil has formed his country’s new government, with several of the outgoing cabinet’s ministers retaining their positions.
His new cabinet formed on Wednesday, reportedly includes outgoing Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr and Finance Minister Mumtaz al-Said.
According to a military official’s statement released by AFP, Egypt’s army commander Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi is to retain his former-regime post as defense minister.
Former deputy interior minister Ahmed Gamal al-Din has also been selected as the country’s new interior minister, state television reported.
Qandil had stated that he would pick the ministers based on their competence.
The 50-year-old former irrigation minister had been in consultations with candidates since President Mohamed Morsi appointed him to the post of prime minister on July 24.
Under a constitutional declaration, issued on June 17, the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) took control of the state budget and gave itself veto power over a new constitution, diminishing President Morsi’s powers.
Morsi was elected president on June 24 in a runoff against Ahmed Shafiq, who served as ousted dictator Mubarak's last prime minister.
SZH/JR
