Sisi has appointed a new chief of staff and defense minister for the Egyptian armed forces

On Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appointed a new chief of staff for the armed forces. This change was made in response to the Gaza conflict on Egypt’s eastern border, which has escalated tensions with neighboring Israel. The defense minister was replaced in the newly formed cabinet.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Fathy Khalifa succeeded Lieutenant General Osama Askar, who had served as the chief of staff since 2021. Askar is currently the presidential adviser on military affairs for Sisi.

The new defense minister was General Abdel Majeed Saqr, the former governor of Suez, a strategic province in north-eastern Egypt.
Mohamed Zaki, who had served in that capacity since 2018, is currently the presidential adviser for defense affairs.

The previous cabinet’s resignation was disclosed one month ago, following the commencement of Sisi’s third term in April. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly was reappointed, and his new cabinet was swore in.

Last month, the presidency announced that the new cabinet’s responsibilities involved the preservation of Egypt’s national security and counterterrorism.