Egypt swears in a new Cabinet as mounting economic challenges fuel public discontent

The new Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly, who has been in office since 2018, included major changes, particularly in the defense and economy-related portfolios. Some ministers, including those in charge of police, health and transportation, remain in place. The change comes as the country faces mounting public discontent following years of economic mismanagement, the coronavirus pandemic and the fallout of the wars in Europe and the Middle East. In addition, a Western-backed reform program — adopted in 2016 and backed by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi — has caused...