Egypt's cabinet resigns, Sisi asks minister to form gov't

CAIRO - Reuters

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (R) waves during the opening ceremony of the new Suez Canal, in Ismailia, Egypt, Aug 6. Reuters photo

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sept. 12 asked Oil Minister Sherif Ismail to form a new cabinet within one week after the government submitted its resignation, a statement from the presidency said.

It was not immediately clear why the government resigned but officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity el-Sisi had been unhappy with the performance of several ministries.

The announcement comes almost one week after the authorities arrested Egypt's agriculture minister over corruption allegations.

Egypt faces an insurgency headed by an affiliate of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the country has been trying to attract more foreign investment in an economy battered by turmoil since an uprising toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

El-Sisi asked the government to carry on in a caretaker role until a new administration is formed, the statement said.

Ismail will likely be appointed the new prime minister, replacing Ibrahim Mehleb.

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, is due to hold long-delayed parliamentary elections next month, the final step in a process the government has said would deliver democracy.

In his former role as army chief, el-Sisi toppled Egypt's first freely-elected president, Islamist Mohamed Morsi, in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. El-Sisi was later elected president on promises of political stability and economic prosperity.

He launched a security crackdown that put an end to large-scale political unrest in Egypt but has drawn criticism from human rights groups who accuse him of silencing the opposition.