Building Egypt’s Cabinet

Post-revolution Egypt’s government is beginning to take form, with Prime Minister-designate Essam Sharaf selecting two men not affiliated with Hosni Mubarak to head the interior and foreign ministries.

The reformists who toppled President Mubarak on Feb. 11 have demanded a clean sweep of his cronies in government. —JCL

Al-Jazeera English:

Egypt’s prime minister has appointed new ministers for the interior and foreign portfolios in a further sign that ousted president Hosni Mubarak’s old guard are being removed from the cabinet.

Essam Sharaf named General Mansour El Essawi and Nabil Elaraby, a former judge with the International Court of Justice, for the key posts on Sunday, a post on the Facebook page of the prime minister’s office said.

Elaraby’s appointment came hours after El Essawi’s, but the prime minister’s cabinet list has yet to be confirmed.

A statement from MENA news agency said: “Nabil Elaraby said he has accepted the foreign ministry portfolio during this critical time in the history of Egypt.”

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AP / Khalil Hamra

Egypt’s Prime Minister-designate Essam Sharaf speaks in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday.