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Egyptian Youth Rally Behind New Prime Minister

From left to right: Dina Nashaat, Yousr M. Al-Shaarawy, Prime Minister Essem Sharaf, Yomna El Haddad and Sara M. Al-Shaarawy (Photo provided).
 
By Jessica Elsayed

 

Senior Reporter

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt — What a beautiful day it is when you wake up to see your day-old prime minister being held on the shoulders of youth after giving a speech in Tahrir Square.
This latest twist started Wednesday when former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik appeared on television with several other prominent figures in Egyptian society, including businessman Naguib Sawiris, respected journalist Hamdy Kandil, and author and activist Alaa Alaswany.
Egyptians everywhere tuned in to see this heated conversation, especially with Alaswany, but never thought that it would lead to Shafik’s re

signation next day.
Shafik’s answers to some of the questions the guests asked proved to many that although he seems to be a kind man, he is not fit for the position of prime minster now.
The youth of the January 25th movement found it extremely difficult to trust his government, particularly since there are still thugs on the loose. The lack of police makes it dangerous enough that officials had to postpone schools and universities again.
By Friday’s demonstrations – yes, they are still going on –
plans to call for the removal of Shafik and his government had been blown away by events.
Instead of more protest, it turned into a celebration of another revolution victory as protesters greeted the new prime minister, Essam Sharaf, a man who participated in the revolution, leading students marching from Cairo University.
Sharaf is trusted and loved among youth for his humbleness, integrity and sincere will to advance the Arab world.
Back in 2004, Sharaf was appointed minister of transport but resigned two years later after seeing corruption in the ministry.He is a man of science, one who believes in nurturing young minds and the intellect of Egypt’s youth.
Along with Ahmed Zewail and Farouk El Baz, Sharaf founded the Science Era Association that includes the brilliant young minds of Egypt, giving them wide windows of opportunities found nowhere else and encouraging them to make discoveries every day.Ahmed Samir, one of the nation’s brilliant scie
ntific minds, said the new prime minister addressed him as “Sir.”
In the world of prominent Egyptians, this humility is rare and another indication of Sharaf’s greatness.
Because he understands youth and interacts with them, there is much hope put in Sharaf’s hands.
People are trusting that he will bring to Egypt the educational system it deserves and remove the remaining three ministers from the old regime.
Knowing he is in charge, I slept well at last.
The revolution has reached another milestone, but it is yet just the beginning.

 


From Left to Right: Omar Ghorab, Mohamed Ayman Zerban, Prime Minister Essem Sharaf, Abdullah Saied, Mohamed El Haddad and Ahmed Samir
(Photo provided
).

 

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