Hisham QandilCAIRO – Egypt's president Tuesday designated a young, US-educated irrigation minister as the new prime minister to form a government. The designation of Hisham Qandil comes nearly a month after President Mohamed Morsi was sworn in as Egypt's first freely elected civilian president. Morsi had promised to pick someone from outside his Muslim Brotherhood group to lead a unity government. The military, which took power after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak last year, still holds overriding control over much of Egypt's politics, leaving it unclear what the new prime minister's powers will be. “This appointment of a patriotic and independent figure comes after much study and discussion to choose a person able to manage the current scenario," said Morsi spokesman Yassir Ali. “Dr. Qandil had no affiliation to any political party before or after the revolution," said Ali. Little known outside political circles, Qandil who has Islamist leanings told reporters after his appointment as water minister that he had grown a beard “in line with the Sunnah," the words and practices of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Particularly in question is whether he and Morsi will be able to name the heads of key ministries overseeing foreign relations, state budgets and security forces, where there is deep resistance to the Muslim Brotherhood president. Already, the military has said the government will not be able to appoint a defense minister. Qandil, who is in his 40s, is the minister of water resources and irrigation in the outgoing, military-appointed government. He earned his masters and doctorate at the University of North Carolina and later worked at the African Development Bank, focusing on Nile Basin countries. He was also part of an observer mission for Egypt in talks with Sudan on Nile water issues. Qandil was brought into the government after Mubarak's fall. – Agencies
