BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- In , 10 new ministers have been sworn in before President Mohamed as part of a cabinet reshuffle. The shake-up is aimed at improving the government’s handling of the country’s struggling economy.

It’s the first major Cabinet reshuffle since Prime Minister Hesham Qandil took office 4 months ago.

One of the most senior promotions is for El Morsi Sayed Hegazy, who becomes finance minister.

Another top post that’s changed hands is the Interior Minister, a role given to General Mohammed Ibrahim.

Other major changes were made in civil aviation, communications, information technology, and the environment.

Prime Minister Qandil stressed the need for immediate action to stabilize the economy.

Qandil said, "It’s necessary to agree on our financial and economic recovery program immediately, in order to give the Egyptian economy the financial boost it needs. It’s necessary to reduce expenditure, to increase , and to encourage investment. But it’s also imperative that we take into account social justice in everything that we do, and not affect those who earn the minimum wage."

The Prime Minister’s cabinet consists of 35 ministers.

The reshuffle brings the total number of cabinet posts held by members of President Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood to eight.

Morsi met the full cabinet following the oath ceremony, to discuss ongoing political, economic and social challenges facing the country.

The ministerial changes have been hailed by Islamists, President Morsi’s main backers.

But Egyptian opposition groups say the ministerial changes are an attempt by the Muslim Brotherhood to dominate the short-term cabinet, ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.

(Source: CNTV.cn)