time to reform egypt’s ministerial appointments system
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Time to reform Egypt’s ministerial appointments system

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

time to reform egypt’s ministerial appointments system

Mohammed Nosseir

Egypt’s recent Cabinet reshuffle raises questions about how ministers come to be appointed to the highest ranks of government. To be able to understand the mechanism of shortlisting candidates for ministerial positions, we need to learn more about the relationship between the Egyptian state and its government, particularly about who rules and who governs.
Securing a Cabinet position is still the dream of millions of Egyptians, even if they argue to the contrary. Egyptian ministers rarely come from the government, whose various entities constitute seven million employees (roughly one-third of Egypt’s labor force). Yet the Egyptian state does not want to acknowledge that the economically empowered government personnel are often replete with internal defects. Meanwhile, the rumors concerning potential ministerial candidates that frequently spread on the eve of any Cabinet reshuffle have nothing to do with any actual scanning of candidates; rather, they are meant to sustain many ambitious executives’ dream of becoming ministers.
The government in Egypt has a very clear role (handling the business of day-to-day governing), while the Egyptian state that is shaped by its security apparatus is responsible for crafting strategic ruling policies that the government must follow unquestioningly. In Egypt, ministers are not appointed based on their forward-thinking ability or their achievements; what matters is who is endorsed by the state and is willing to blindly abide by its strategy. One of the defects of this mechanism is that it can result in assigning qualified ministers to head ministries with which they are not familiar.
Egyptians who desire to be ministers should not be bothered with advancing their competence, as that plays a very minimal role in achieving ministerial status. Many qualified ministerial candidates are quite competent, but lack the critical quality of having strong ties to the state. In fact, the selection of appointees to certain specific ministries is often related to the political structure and environment and is based on who can best serve the state’s interests at a particular point in time, which leads to favoring a few potential candidates over others.
Egyptians in general agree that the quality of ministers has been declining from one generation to the next. A few decades ago, Egyptian ministers were known to be high caliber intellectuals with strong personalities, capable of making tough decisions. These qualities have diminished gradually over time. We have reached a point where many of our ministers are only good at creating and spreading propaganda about their false achievements and offering justifications for many undelivered projects.
The temptation of the ministerial position in Egypt, and its frequent association with unmet tasks, has led to a proclivity among former ministers to justify their failure to deliver by claiming that the ineffectiveness of the Egyptian state had prevented them from implementing their perfect ideas — as if they had not been aware of these issues prior to accepting their noble assignments.
Egyptian entrepreneurs who truly want to use their extensive knowledge in the service of their country should give themselves a long break; the state does not need their sincerity or their substance, nor is it even willing to listen to their ideas from afar. Many Egyptian ministers are currently playing the role of facilitator, accepting to be a part of the dysfunctional governing system and willing to accept a position that could entail their being blamed for a policy that they did not design.
The present ministerial appointment mechanism often brings dissatisfaction to the ruler and to the majority of Egyptian citizens. It could be easily improved if replaced by a different and better functioning one. Instead of the current mechanism based primarily on ministerial candidates’ connections, we should enable potential candidates to set out their visions before the Egyptian Parliament for endorsement. Our country would benefit from this kind of fair competition, which would yield a large pool of potential ministerial candidates who would be willing to work constantly on advancing their competence, thereby generating many good ideas.

 

GMT 09:55 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Washington chooses Syria as its battleground

GMT 09:52 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Road ahead full of danger as new front opens in Syria

GMT 09:43 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Now is the time to revive King’s beautiful struggle

GMT 09:15 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Syria policy leaves many questions unanswered

GMT 09:09 2018 Monday ,22 January

Spend a dollar, save a life

GMT 10:23 2018 Thursday ,18 January

65 Israeli laws that discriminate against non-Jews

GMT 09:52 2018 Thursday ,18 January

The dangerous entanglements of Idlib and Afrin
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

time to reform egypt’s ministerial appointments system time to reform egypt’s ministerial appointments system

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 06:40 2017 Saturday ,16 December

Walker needs brains not just brawn

GMT 08:15 2017 Thursday ,07 September

US oil giant ExxonMobil plans Cyprus gas exploration

GMT 18:11 2011 Monday ,18 April

Zimbabwe and Zambia in tug of war over Vic Falls

GMT 16:05 2017 Tuesday ,31 October

Qadih calls for involving private sector

GMT 09:20 2017 Wednesday ,15 November

Qualcomm spurns $130 bn Broadcom bid for big tech tie-up

GMT 13:43 2017 Tuesday ,24 October

Stabbed Russian journalist 'in recovery'

GMT 10:26 2017 Friday ,14 April

Sock topples Haas to reach ATP Houston quarters

GMT 14:00 2017 Saturday ,25 November

Sudan condemns terrorist attack in Egypt

GMT 09:40 2017 Monday ,04 December

Stade down Racing, Clermont edge plucky Agen

GMT 08:08 2017 Thursday ,05 October

Injury jinx strikes again as Iordache exits

GMT 11:20 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Prodigal son: Saleh Saudi overture tips Yemen balance

GMT 09:35 2013 Saturday ,31 August

Afghan suicide attack kills 6, hurts 20 in south

GMT 23:36 2016 Sunday ,11 December

Suicide attack in Istanbul claims 29 lives

GMT 18:29 2013 Sunday ,10 November

Samsung\'s Galaxy Note 3 top 5m

GMT 14:52 2013 Sunday ,24 November

Computer game opponents begin to think, feel alike

GMT 18:55 2012 Wednesday ,02 May

8 Secret guy insecurities

GMT 19:27 2012 Thursday ,10 May

How to win over your boss

GMT 18:27 2012 Sunday ,29 April

Why I\'m better off without a baby

GMT 13:40 2012 Friday ,25 May

Sharnoubi to make documentary on singer Warda

GMT 12:58 2014 Friday ,28 November

Incredibly small apartment in Paris

GMT 00:44 2011 Sunday ,25 December

Modern glass house

GMT 10:51 2011 Tuesday ,05 July

Dior loses its way without creative director
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle