Egypt appoints first female tourism minister

Rania Al-Mashat has become one of six women to currently occupy ministerial roles – the nation’s highest proportion in history.

Replacing Yahya Rashid, who took over the post from Hisham Zaazou in March 2016, the changeover is a result of a cabinet reshuffle, in which four ministerial posts have been filled with new people.

Al-Mashat previously served as a senior economic adviser to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and as the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Egypt. She was the youngest person ever to hold such a position in both organisations.

She is credited with making a significant contribution to modernising Egypt’s monetary policy, particularly during the governmental reform programme post-2011.

In line with Egypt’s new campaign for 2018, the new minister is expected to capitalise on renewed and growing interest in the destination. She will manage cooperation with investors, placing a focus on marketing, as well as the training and development of employees in the tourism sector.