Kamal Ganzouri

Kamal Ganzouri
كمال الجنزورى
Prime Minister of Egypt
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 December 2011
Leader Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (Acting)
Preceded by Essam Sharaf
In office
2 January 1996 – 5 October 1999
President Hosni Mubarak
Preceded by Atef Sedki
Succeeded by Atef Ebeid
Personal details
Born January 1933 (age 79)
Monufia, Egypt
Political party Independent (1999–present)
Other political
affiliations
National Democratic Party (Before 1999)
Alma mater University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Religion Sunni Islam

Kamal Ganzouri (Arabic: كمال الجنزورى‎, IPA: [kæˈmæːl elɡænˈzuːɾi]) (born January 12, 1933) is an Egyptian economist who became Prime Minister-Designate of Egypt in November 2011. He served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999.[1] He came to power in 1996 succeeding Atef Sedki, and was in turn succeeded by Atef Ebeid in 1999. He was branded Minister of the Poor and the Opposition Minister because of his way of dealing with limited income people and the opposition. Before becoming Prime Minister, Ganzouri served as Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.[2] On 24 November 2011, Egypt's military rulers appointed him as Prime Minister.[3] He was sworn in and took office on 7 December 2011.[4]

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Early life and education

Kamal Ganzouri was born on 12 January 1933 in Garwan, a town in Bagor city in Monofia. He obtained a PhD at University of Michigan, United States and began teaching at Egyptian universities and training institutes in 1959.

Political career

Early career

He had served as a board member of the Sadat Academy for Administrative Sciences from 1962 to 1967 and became economic adviser to the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa in 1968. He was an adviser to the President Anwar Sadat. He was also a member of the National Specialized Councils of production, education and services. In 1974, he became undersecretary Of Planning Minister and kept this until 1975. He was appointed as Governor of the New Valley State in 1976 and then became Governor of the Bani Suef State in 1977 but resigned after just six months.

Minister of Planning

He was appointed as Director of The National Planning Institute in 1977 after resigning from Governor of Bani Suef State. After Hosni Mubarak assumed power as President of Egypt in 1981, Ganzouri became Minister of Planning after one year in 1982. In June 1984, he became Minister of International Cooperation. He was also Deputy Prime Minister from November 1986 to January 1996.

First Prime Ministership

On 2 January 1996, Hosni Mubarak appointed Ganzouri as a replacement of Atef Sedki. During his appointment, he and his cabinet operated on a level that didn't happen before in Egypt. In about 4 years or less they declared 387 laws, 57 of those made dramatic changes to Egypt. He started his Prime Ministry with 4 major projects that were supposed to help move Egypt from the valley of the River Nile by developing and reclaiming new lands to live in away from the river nile valley. His speciality in Planning enabled him to make a plan of development for Egypt up to 2017. He improved Egypt's relations with the International Bank through the International Monetary Fund by completing the only program ever completed between Egypt and the International bank since 1961. 13 other programs had gone to nowhere back then. The poverty ratio was reduced from 21% to 17%. All of this was neglected after he was dismissed. He was dismissed as Prime Minister on 5 October 1999.

After Prime Ministership

Some Regime Officials kept saying he didn't make any good to the country, so the 20 year plan vanished while the 4 projects was neglected by the new cabinet. Even though, he has a good reputation between the people of Egypt and that was because of the major changes he had accomplished. The Government made a sum of investigations through the time he was in the Prime Ministry and after about 4 years of his resignation the investigations didn't lead to anything to call him on it. In 2009, A high source within the National Democratic Party cleared that he was kept under house arrest, which was shocking and not cleared to normal Egyptians.

Support for the 2011 Egyptian revolution

He stayed away from the media for about 11 years of silence till the revolution of Jan 25 broke free. He then appeared for the first time right after Hosni Mubarak stepping down in a phone call on "Al Haya Al Youm" TV program saying that's a day of a new era in Egypt and that there is nowhere going back from this day.

He then reappeared in "Al Ashera Masa'a" TV program as the first dedicated interview. He started it with condolences and honoring the souls of the shohada' of Jan 25 revolution and talked about some of his roles in the past, saying that he is ready to be judged for whatever actions he planned to take that could have a bad influence on Egypt but before that judge who stopped it and made it away of Egypt's future.

He then made an interview with "Al Masre Al Youm" Journal in a series of three articles included answering more questions and giving more specific answers. He was asked if he would nominate him self for Presidency, but his answer was that he's under the people's demand and he would not give a definite answer.

Possible presidential candidacy

Right after his appearance on TV, pages and groups on FaceBook started supporting him for Presidency. They grouped up and had an official page to the Media afterwords and expected to meet him and discuss his nomination. New Wafd Party sources is said to be thinking of backing him up as their own nominee but till now it's only unsure news, Nevertheless he already has a big sector of people who like him from the old days especially the limited income sector which are a big sector in Egypt's population. He didn't say anything official after the last TV appearance but he had some appearances on the press answering some corruption cases and it's investigations that was made under his Cabinet that he didn't approve on.

Second Prime Ministership

After Essam Sharaf resigned as Prime Minister of Egypt on 21 November 2011, Supreme Council of the Armed Forces appointed Ganzouri to form a new coalition government on 24 November. He formed his "Salvation Government" on 3 December 2011 and was sworn in on 7 December. The military government claimed that it has transferred him all presidential powers.[4][5][6][7]

Personal life

Ganzouri is married and has three daughters.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Atef Sedki
Prime Minister of Egypt
1996–1999
Succeeded by
Atef Ebeid
Preceded by
Essam Sharaf
Prime Minister of Egypt
2011–present
Incumbent