Egypt PM resigns, oil minister to form new cabinet

Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and his cabinet resigned on Saturday after 15 months in office following corruption allegations. While accepting Mahlab’s resignation, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi asked outgoing petroleum minister Sherif Ismail to form a new government within a week.

President Sisi has accepted Prime Minister Mehleb’s resignation of the cabinet, a statement from the presidency said.

Sisi told the cabinet to remain in a caretaker role until a new cabinet was formed, it added. The statement did not give an explanation for the resignation, but it came days after agriculture minister Salah Helal was arrested over corruption charges on Monday.

Several ministers in Mehleb’s government faced accusations of corruption, which sparked rumours of a possible reshuffle. Mahlab was appointed Prime Minister on June 17 last year after Sisi came to power. His resignation comes as Egypt is due to hold long-delayed parliamentary elections next month.

The elections had initially been scheduled for early 2014 but were delayed after rights groups accused <g data-gr-id="19">government</g> of repressive measures during a crackdown on the Islamist opposition.