Egypt's government resigns amid corruption probe

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has asked oil minister Sherif Ismail to form a new cabinet within one week, a statement from the presidency said. The move comes after the country's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and his cabinet resigned on Saturday amid a corruption investigation that led to the arrest of the agriculture minister last week.

Sisi's office said that the president had accepted the resignation, but that the ministers would continue to serve until a new body is appointed.

Prior to handing in his resignation, Mehleb gave a report detailing the performance of the government, which two officials from the president's office said Sisi found "unsatisfying." 

Ismail — an engineer who held senior posts at several state-run energy firms — will likely be appointed the new prime minister. As oil minister, Ismail oversaw politically sensitive reforms, slashing energy subsidies, and also paid back some arrears to foreign energy companies to improve Egypt's image among investors.

The developments come after agriculture minister Salah el-Din Helal was detained Monday after tendering his resignation amid an investigation into allegations that he and others received over $1 million in bribes. 

Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, is due to hold long-delayed parliamentary elections next month, the final step in a process the government has said would deliver democracy.

In his former role as army chief, Sisi toppled Egypt's first freely-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. Sisi was later elected president on promises of political stability and economic prosperity.

He launched a security crackdown that put an end to large-scale political unrest in Egypt but has drawn criticism from human rights groups who accuse him of silencing the opposition.

Wire services