Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued on Friday a presidential decree to appoint his two former ministers as assistants, official news agency MENA reported.

Sedqi Sobhi, who had been serving as the defense minister since Sisi was first elected president in 2014, was appointed as an assistant to the president for defense affairs.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Sherif Ismail whose cabinet resigned on June 5, took the new post of assistant to the president for national and strategic projects.

On Thursday, the Egyptian new cabinet under Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, who also serves as housing minister, was sworn in with newly appointed defense and interior ministers.

The new 33-member cabinet includes eight women and 12 new members.

The massive cabinet reshuffle covered ministers of finance, trade and industry, health, agriculture, environment, communications, sports, civil aviation, local development and public enterprise.