Ambassador Mohamed al-Orabi was sworn in as Egypt's new foreign minister on Sunday in front of Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the leader of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). Al-Orabi took over the position from his predecessor Nabil al-Arabi who will lead the Arab League beginning next month. After the swearing-in ceremony, Field Marshal Tantawi held a meeting with al-Orabi to discuss recent developments in the region and how to develop Egypt's foreign policy in the next stage in order to restore Egypt's position in the international community. Al-Orabi will represent Egypt tomorrow as its foreign minister when he will participate in the African Union Summit held in Equatorial Guinea. Prime Minister Essam Sharaf will head Egypt's delegation to the summit. Orabi expressed his happiness that Africa will be his first mission as foreign minister—a signal that Africa will be a focus of Egypt's foreign policy. He said the summit will open the door for exchanging views with African ministers and support Egypt's relations with the other countries on the continent. Al-Orabi also held a meeting with Nabil al-Arabi, the new director general of the Arab League. The new minister insisted on ascending to the eighth floor of the ministry building to greet the diplomats who worked with him when he served as the assistant minister for economic affairs.
