Omar El-Hitamy argues there is more to the cabinet reshuffle than new faces Egypt's new government represents more than a change of faces sitting around the cabinet table. Even a cautious reading of the likely ramifications of the reshuffle suggests that what has happened is no less than a paradigm shift that will determine Egypt's economic future. The forefront of this change, it is true, was Ahmed Nazif's first cabinet, and in some ways the new government is a continuation of its predecessor. What has happened, though, is that the changes triggered during Ahmed Nazif's first term have now hardened into a strategy as the prime minister begins a new term. Quite where that strategy will lead becomes clearer when we look at three new cabinet members and at one change of portfolio. First there is Amin Abaza, the new minister of agriculture, a well-known figure, both locally and internationally, in the world of cotton trading. His extensive experience of all the rungs of the textile industry's supply chain -- from seed cotton to finished garments -- will serve him well in his new post. He is thoroughly familiar with the enormous impact of cotton farming on an industry that some estimate employs more than 30 per cent of Egypt's industrial labour. And there is a great deal of common ground when it comes to setting strategies for seed cotton farming and the cultivation of other strategic commodity crops, including wheat, maize and beans. Abaza, of course, faces many challenges, not least boosting farming practices so that they meet with EU and other international guidelines, a necessary first step in strengthening agricultural exports. The pesticides file, which attracted a great deal of controversy last year, will also need to be resolved alongside other thorny issues such as brown rot zoning. Hatem El-Gabaly, the new minister of health and population, is not only a doctor but also a businessman capable of turning dreams into business models and then translating those business models into solid output. His entrepreneurial background, combined with academic experience in the medical field, make him the perfect shoot and forget policy implementer. If he succeeds in enticing Egyptian patients to pursue treatment in Egypt rather than abroad, he will effectively save the nation large amounts of money. El-Gabaly's appointment represents a break with his predecessors in the post. Perhaps the greatest challenge he faces will be to use his expertise to offer improved healthcare to the average Egyptian patient, something that will require a radical overhaul of healthcare infrastructure. Mohamed Mansour, the new minister of transport, has attracted a great deal of admiration for the low profile maintained by his family which, together with the Sawiris', counts among the most successful of Egypt's business dynasties. There are two key points about Mansour that make him a good candidate for the ministry. First he possesses outstanding managerial abilities, based on superb human resources decisions. He is, in short, hugely experienced in getting the right people for the job. Then there are his international contacts. Mansour is on the board of the Egyptian-US Presidential Council and is known to have close ties with a number of high-ranking officials in the Bush administration, largely as a result of his connections with one of corporate America's best known names, General Motors. This positions him as a capable facilitator in any Egyptian-American negotiations. With a proven managerial track record, and the necessary connections, Mansour is well placed to command the skills and funds needed to revitalise the ailing transport sector. As well, there is the move of Ahmed El-Maghraby from the Ministry of Tourism to the Ministry of Housing and Development, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the reshuffle. Many commentators greeted the news as meaningless, or at best a political manoeuvre, an attempt to move an appealing figure into a sensitive position. Yet the change of portfolios also illustrates the way in which Egypt's political leadership is learning to prioritise. El-Maghraby is likely to concentrate much of his effort on the development of Egypt's North-Western coast, by far the most suitable area for any development plans that aim at attracting those inhabiting the overcrowded Nile Valley and Delta to new areas. El-Maghraby certainly has the requisite knowledge of an area the tourist potentials of which are unquestioned. It is certainly a more azure coast than the original Côte d'Azur. But the area's potentials -- it was, after all, once the grain basket of the Roman Empire -- include more than tourism. El-Maghraby faces many challenges and, as an outsider, will probably begin by reforming the administrative structure of his strategic ministry, overhauling organisational structures, policy and personnel. He will be responsible, too, for improving the lot of rural communities -- a daunting task. The reshuffle, though limited, was clearly well planned, and one result should be a cabinet able to work together in harmony, not least because they speak the same language. They will need to be aware, though, that they are running a country, not a company, and will be held accountable for the results of decisions which will be judged on more than financial grounds.
