President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi reshuffled his government today, naming nine new ministers, including for the finance and investment portfolios, but leaving the key ministries of defense, foreign affairs and interior untouched.
The reshuffle comes at a time when Egypt under el-Sissi is facing a host of daunting problems, primarily an economy reeling from five years of unrest that has led to a severe slump in the vital tourism sector.
The government recently devalued the country's currency, sparking a surge in prices, all while Egyptian security forces are bogged down in a draining fight against Islamic militants.
The changes also mirror the urgency with which the general-turned-president seeks to revive the economy and restore investors' confidence, a task made more difficult by growing international criticism of Egypt's human rights record.
El-Sissi's time in office has been partially defined by the killing of hundreds of Islamists in street clashes and the imprisonment of thousands of supporters of Mohammed Morsi, the freely elected president he ousted in July 2103 following mass protests against his divisive, one-year rule.
The case of an Italian doctoral student who disappeared in Cairo in January and whose body was found nine days later bearing signs of brutal torture has further hurt Egypt's image over human rights.
