Sherif Ismail

{{Short description|Egyptian engineer and politician (1955–2023)}}

{{Infobox Minister

| name = Sherif Ismail

| native_name = شريف إسماعيل

| native_name_lang = arz

| image = Sherif Ismail (cropped).jpg

| office = Prime Minister of Egypt

| president = Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

| term_start = 19 September 2015

| term_end = 7 June 2018

| predecessor = Ibrahim Mahlab

| successor = Mostafa Madbouly

| office2 = Minister of Petroleum

| primeminister2 = {{ubl|Hazem El Beblawi (acting)|Ibrahim Mahlab}}

| term_start2 = 16 July 2013

| term_end2 = 12 September 2015

| predecessor2 = Sherif Haddara

| successor2 = Tareq el Molla

| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|7|6|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|2|4|1955|7|6|df=y}}

| death_place = Cairo, Egypt

| nationality = Egyptian

| party = Independent

| alma_mater = Ain Shams University

| caption = Ismail in 2016

}}

Sherif Ismail ({{langx|ar|شريف إسماعيل|Šarīf ʾIsmāʿīl}}, {{IPA|arz|ʃɪˈɾiːf esmæˈʕiːl|pron}}; 6 July 1955 – 4 February 2023) was an Egyptian engineer and politician who served as the prime minister of Egypt from 2015 to 2018. He was also the minister of petroleum and mineral resources from 2013 to 2015.

Early life and education

Ismail was born on 6 July 1955.{{Cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/141312/Egypt/0/Meet-Egypts-new-Prime-Minister-Sherif-Ismail-.aspx|title=Meet Egypt's new Prime Minister Sherif Ismail|date=12 September 2015|work=Ahram Online|archive-date=27 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827235845/http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/141312/Egypt/0/Meet-Egypts-new-Prime-Minister-Sherif-Ismail-.aspx|url-status=live|access-date=27 August 2017}}{{cite news|title=شريف إسماعيل|publisher=Al Jazeera|language=ar|url=https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/icons/2015/9/13/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%84|date=13 September 2015|access-date=4 February 2023}} He studied mechanical engineering at Ain Shams University and graduated in 1978.{{cite web|title=Meet Egypt's new Prime Minister: Sherif Ismail|work=Mada Masr|url=http://www.madamasr.com/sections/politics/meet-egypts-new-prime-minister-sherif-ismail|date=13 September 2015|access-date=5 February 2016}}

Career

Ismail held managerial posts at state-run petrochemical and natural gas firms. He served as the executive deputy chairman and then chairman of the Egyptian holding company for petrochemicals (ECHEM), which was established in 2002.{{cite book|author=Pascal Belda|title=Ebizguide Egypt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EL4xJptWHLoC&pg=PA94|year=2005|location=Spain|publisher=Im. Las Vegas|isbn=978-84-933978-0-7|page=94

}} Next he was named chairman of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS).{{cite web|title=On working meeting of Alexander Medvedev, Hany Soliman Ali, Sherif Soussa and Ibrahim Ahmed|work=Gazprom|access-date=20 July 2013|date=26 December 2006|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801004231/http://www.gazprom.com/press/news/2006/december/article63676/|archive-date=1 August 2016

|url=http://www.gazprom.com/press/news/2006/december/article63676/}}

Then he worked as the managing director of the state-run oil holding company, Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (GANOPE),{{cite news

|title=Egypt expects $8 bln in petroleum investments, says minister|location=Cairo|url=https://www.arabfinance.com/News/newsdetails.aspx?Id=219668|accessdate=20 July 2013|newspaper=Arab Finance|date=21 February 2012}} and became chairman of the company.{{cite news

|author=Patrick Werr|title=State holding company executive appointed Egypt's oil minister|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-protests-cabinet-oil-idUSBRE96F0VJ20130716|access-date=20 July 2013|work=Reuters|date=16 June 2013}} He was appointed minister of petroleum and mineral resources on 16 July 2013 as part of the interim cabinet led by Hazem El Beblawi.{{cite news|title=New Egyptian Interim Cabinet Sworn Into Office|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/egypt-interim-cabinet-sworn-in/25048190.html|access-date=20 July 2013|date=16 July 2013}} He replaced Sherif Hassan Haddara in the post.{{cite news

|author1=Tarek El Tablawy|author2=Alaa Shahine|title=Egypt to Replace Finance Minister in Cabinet Reshuffle|work=Bloomberg News|access-date=19 January 2015|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-07/egypt-to-replace-finance-minister-in-cabinet-reshuffle.html|date=7 May 2013}}

Ismail was appointed prime minister on 12 September 2015.{{Cite web|title=The Cabinet – Biography|publisher=The Arab Republic of Egypt – The Cabinet of Ministers|url=http://www.cabinet.gov.eg/English/PrimeMinister/pages/Biography.aspx|access-date=7 August 2017|archive-date=28 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828000401/http://www.cabinet.gov.eg/English/PrimeMinister/pages/Biography.aspx|url-status=live}} In 2016 an economic crisis occurred when the Egyptian pound significantly weakened.{{cite news

|title=Egypt's former prime minister dies at 67: president|url=https://www.newarab.com/news/egypts-former-prime-minister-dies-67-president

|access-date=5 February 2023|work=The New Arab|date=4 February 2023}} Due to this crisis, the cabinet of Ismail had to initiate and implement the strict economic reforms. Following this incident Ismail reshuffled the cabinet in March 2016 changing ten ministers, including finance, investment, and tourism ministers.{{cite news|author=Sarah El-Sheikh|title=Parliament approves new cabinet reshuffle of nine ministries|work=Daily News Egypt |url=https://dailynewsegypt.com/2017/02/14/parliament-approves-new-cabinet-reshuffle-nine-ministries/|access-date=5 February 2023|date=14 February 2017}} In February 2017, the cabinet was again reshuffled, which included the change of nine ministers mostly related to economic policies. In November 2017 Ismail left Egypt for treatment in Germany and resumed his post on 1 December. During this period Mostafa Madbouly, minister of housing and urban utilities, served as the acting prime minister.

On 5 June 2018, Ismail submitted his resignation to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.{{cite news|title=Egypt PM resigns after President Sisi sworn into office|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/06/egpyt-pm-resigns-president-sisi-sworn-office-180605191621189.html

|access-date=16 April 2020|publisher=Al Jazeera|date=5 June 2018}} However, he continued to serve as prime minister in caretaker capacity.{{cite news|title=Egypt's cabinet submits resignation to President Sisi: statement|access-date=16 April 2020|work=Reuters|date=5 June 2018|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-cabinet-resignation/egypts-cabinet-submits-resignation-to-president-sisi-statement-idUSKCN1J12JF}} Two days after Ismail submitted his resignation, Sisi appointed Madbouly to succeed him as prime minister.{{cite news|title=Knowing Egypt's new PM, Moustafa Madbouly|work=Egypt Today|date=7 June 2018|access-date=16 April 2020

|url=https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/51733/Knowing-Egypt%E2%80%99s-new-PM-Moustafa-Madbouly}}

Following his departure as prime minister, it was reported on 9 June 2018 that Ismail had been nominated to serve as the top aide to Sisi. From 18 June Ismail served as presidential aide for national and strategic projects and represented Sisi at the funeral of Jacques Chirac in September 2019.{{cite news|author=Haya Karima|title=Sisi's aide attends funeral of late French president Chirac|work=Egypt Today |url=https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/75383/Sisi-s-aide-attends-funeral-of-late-French-president-Chirac|access-date=4 February 2023|date=30 September 2019}}

Personal life and death

Ismail was married and had two children. He had health problems related to the digestive system{{cite news|title=Former Egyptian PM Sherif Ismail dies at 67|access-date=5 February 2023|agency=Xinhua News Agency|url=https://english.news.cn/africa/20230205/a3806a9aadcb499a8e86a74fc12bc443/c.html|date=5 February 2023|location=Cairo}} and had an operation in Germany in November 2017 while serving as prime minister.{{cite news|last=Haya Karima|title=Egypt's PM Sharif Ismail resigns after 32 months in office|url=https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/51585/Egypt%E2%80%99s-PM-Sharif-Ismail-resigns-after-32-months-in-office|access-date=5 February 2023|work=Egypt Today|date=5 June 2018}} He died in Cairo on 4 February 2023, at the age of 67.{{cite news|title=Egypt's former PM Sherif Ismail passes away at age 67|work=Ahram Online|date=4 February 2023|access-date=6 February 2023|url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/487525/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt%E2%80%99s-former-PM-Sherif-Ismail-passes-away-at-age.aspx}}{{cite news|title=President Sisi Mourns Death of Former PM Sherif Ismail|url=https://see.news/president-sisi-mourns-death-of-former-pm-sherif-ismail|access-date=4 February 2023|work=Sada El-Balad|date=4 February 2023}} His death was first announced by the Egyptian President Sisi via a post on social media.{{cite news|title=Egypt's former prime minister Sherif Ismail dies at 67|work=News 24

|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/egypts-former-prime-minister-sherif-ismail-dies-at-67-20230204|access-date=4 February 2023|date=4 February 2023}}{{cite news|title=Egypt's Former Prime Minister Dies At 67: President|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=4 February 2023

|location=Cairo|url=https://menafn.com/1105524907/Egypts-Former-Prime-Minister-Dies-At-67-President|access-date=4 February 2023|work=The Peninsula}}

A military funeral ceremony was held for Ismail on 5 February, and the funeral prayers took place at the Lt. Gen. Hussein Tantawi Mosque in New Cairo with the attendance of the President Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanfy Gebaly and Defense Minister Mohamed Ahmed Zaki along with others.{{cite news|title=Sisi leads military funeral of former PM Sherif Ismail|url=https://sis.gov.eg/Story/176413/Sisi-leads-military-funeral-of-former-PM-Sherif-Ismail?lang=en-us|access-date=6 February 2023|work=State Information Service|date=5 February 2023}}