A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, July 18, 2011

Egypt's New Cabinet: First Impressions

Egypt's broad Cabinet reshuffle over the weekend, replacing 15 ministers with mostly new faces, though billed as the "Revolution Cabinet," has not universally pleased the protesters in Tahrir Square, though it does remove some of the figures to whom they most objected. Among the most notable changes are Hazem el Beblawi as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and Mohamed Kamel Amr as Foreign Minister, Egypt's fourth FM this year and third since the fall of Mubarak.

Oh, and we won't have Zahi Hawass to kick around anymore. Apparently, though, he was jeered by younger archaeologists as he left the Ministry (video via Zeinobia at the link; she also comments on other new ministers here):



I'll no doubt have further comments as events evolve. Already, the expected swearing-in of the new ministers has been bumped from today until tomorrow, to allow further "consultations," whatever that may mean.

No comments: