A Cabinet official has revealed that a few ministries will merge in Prime Minister Sherif Ismail's new Cabinet, for a total of 32 ministries, instead of 36.
The Urban Development and Slum Areas Ministry will merge with the Housing Ministry, while the Scientific Research Ministry will merge with the Higher Education Ministry.
The Population Ministry may also be merged with the Health Ministry, said the source, although the final decision for all mergers will be up to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
Ministers Laila Eskandar and Hala Youssef will not be part of the new Cabinet, while the fate of ministers Adel Labib and Ashraf Salman is not yet decided, the source mentioned.
Former Investment Minister Ashraf Salman, former Local Development Minister Adel Labib and former Planning Minister Ashraf al-Araby met with Ismail yesterday. Araby will be assigned to the International Cooperation Ministry in Ismail's Cabinet, the source said.
Ismail is still choosing between Undersecretary of the Petroleum Ministry Sherif Soussa and head of the General Petroleum Authority Tarek al-Mulla to succeed him as petroleum minister.
Head of Zagazig University Ashraf Shihy will be assigned to the Higher Education Ministry. Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali and Manpower Minister Nahed al-Ashry will maintain their positions, according to the source.
Sisi will decide on whether or not deputy prime ministers will be appointed. If Sisi approves the idea, the three deputies to the PM will be Defense Minister Sidqi Sobhi, Ashraf al-Araby and Finance Minister Hany Qadry Demian.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
