Fomer Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail died at the age of 67, Egypt's official news agency MENA reported. Ismail had a disease in the digestive system, according to earlier official media reports, Xinhua News Agency reported. Ismail served as the country's prime minister between 2015 and 2018. He was minister of petroleum and mineral resources from 2013 to 2015. His death on Saturday was mourned by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and other Egyptian officials.
Ismail was sworn in as prime minister in 2015 before resigning in 2018 as Sisi began his second presidential term, after a landslide victory against one of his supporters.According to Sisi, Ismail "assumed responsibility in the most difficult of circumstances and the hardest of times".Ismail oversaw a period of tough economic reforms that in late 2016 saw a steep currency devaluation followed by subsidy cuts tied to a $12 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. Former housing minister Mostafa Madbouli has served as prime minister since 2018, himself overseeing further economic reforms, another IMF loan and a steep currency devaluation over the past year.