CAIRO
Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and his government officially resigned on Saturday while Egypt’s petroleum minister was given one week to draw up a new government, according to a statement issued by the presidency.
“At a meeting held this morning, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb formally handed his government’s resignation to the Egyptian president after submitting a comprehensive report on the government's performance in the recent period,” the statement read.
The statement went on to note that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had tasked the outgoing cabinet to remain in place as a caretaker government until a new government could be drawn up.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sharif, minister of petroleum and mineral resources, was elevated to the post of prime minister and given one week to draw up a new government, according to the presidential statement.
The raft of resignations comes amid longstanding criticisms of the government’s recent performance in several fields.
It also comes only days after the country’s agriculture minister, Salah Helal, was arrested amid allegations of corruption within his ministry.
Egypt has been dogged by turmoil since the army ousted Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in a 2013 military coup.
Since Morsi’s ouster and imprisonment, security forces have launched a harsh crackdown on his supporters and sympathizers, killing hundreds and throwing tens of thousands behind bars.
Al-Sisi appointed Mehleb prime minister in March of last year.
Mehleb succeeded Hazem al-Beblawi, who had assumed the premiership in the summer of 2013 following Morsi’s ouster by the army, which was led at the time by al-Sisi.
