Egypt reinstates Information Ministry in Cabinet reshuffle
Egyptian member of parliament Osama Haikal will return as minister of state for information affairs after Egypt abolished the ministry in 2014.
CAIRO — Egypt’s parliament approved Dec. 22 a Cabinet reshuffle, whereby it was decided to reinstate the country’s Ministry of Information that had been abolished in 2014 as per the 2014 constitution, which considered the ministry to be part of the state’s control over the media under then-President Hosni Mubarak.
Parliament member Osama Haikal is to return as minister of state for information affairs, after he resigned from parliament to this effect. Haikal served as minister of information in 2011-12.
The new ministers were sworn in before President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after parliament approved the ministerial changes.
The appointment of Haikal sparked controversy in the country as the ministry’s prerogatives and powers are said to be in direct conflict with the country’s media and press authorities.
