Egypt’s Beblawi Government Quits

CAIRO- Egypt’s Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi announced on State TV Monday that his cabinet has submitted its resignation to Interim President Adly Mansour.

The resignation is considered by some Egyptian officials as a step likely to pave the way for army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to declare his candidacy for president.

“This was done as a step that was needed ahead of Sisi’s announcement that he will run for president,” an Egyptian official said.

Following a 15-minute meeting with the cabinet early on Monday, Beblawi said “reform cannot take place through the government alone,” adding that all Egyptians should strive to achieve the change they aspire to, Ahram Online reported.

Beblawi also mentioned that Egypt currently faces huge challenges as well as great opportunities to be grasped. “It is time we all sacrificed for the good of the country. Rather than asking what has Egypt given us, we should instead be asking what we have done for Egypt,” he added at the end of his short televised speech.

A prominent economist and politician, Beblawi was named prime minister last July following the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi and his prime minister Hisham Qandil’s government amid massive protests on 30 June 2013.