Sharif Isma’il, formerly Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, has been given the post of Prime Minister by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and tasked with putting together a new cabinet within a week.

Although Mr Isma’il has only been in office since July 2013, his rise to Prime Minister has come on the back of a relatively successful two-year stint as oil minister, having overseen the phasing out of fuel subsidies and the attempted resuscitation of the oil and gas sector. (CONTINUED - 769 WORDS)