Egypt’s new Minister of State for Media Diaa Rashwan speaking during a cabinet meeting. Photo courtesy of Egyptian cabinet.
Speaking at the first weekly cabinet press conference following the recent government reshuffle, Rashwan said the coming phase would focus on addressing structural problems in the media landscape and strengthening its role in serving citizens and promoting transparency.
“The issue is not the name of the ministry,” he said, referring to his portofolio whether it is called the Ministry of Media or the Ministry of State for Media.
“The priority is reforming the media environment and activating the constitutional provisions related to freedoms, publication, and the public’s right to know.”
Rashwan stressed that the ministry’s work would be fully aligned with the constitution and the law, underlining that the already established three mandated media bodies operate independently and that neither the government nor the minister would infringe on their mandates.
He announced plans to hold separate meetings with the heads of the three bodies, as well as with the Journalists’ Syndicate and the Media Professionals’ Syndicate, to coordinate efforts and define areas of integration.
Former head of the Journalists’ Syndicate, member of the constitutional drafting committee representing the syndicate, and head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), Rashwan said the constitutional articles regulating media institutions were proposed by journalists themselves and guarantee freedom of opinion and expression.
He acknowledged that Egypt’s media scene has deteriorated, describing the crisis as one “we have all created and are all victims of.”
He said digital media and social networking platforms have become central to the information landscape and cannot be ignored or left vulnerable to misuse.
Rashwan added that a presidential mandate and directives from Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly have provided the necessary human and technical resources to support national media. All ministers and officials are committed to full cooperation in providing accurate, timely information, he said, describing transparency as the most effective tool in confronting misinformation and rumours.
Executive mechanisms for this approach are being finalized in coordination between the ministry and the cabinet, Rashwan revealed without providing further details.
Responding to allegations surrounding some ministers of the newly formed government, Rashwan said a plagiarism-related case involving Culture Minister Gihane Zaki remains before the Court of Cassation, with no final ruling yet.
The case stems from accusations by writer Soheir Abdel-Hamid that Zaki infringed on parts of her 2022 book in a later publication.
A lower economic court had previously ruled on the dispute, ordering the withdrawal of the contested book from circulation and imposing financial compensation, while a separate defamation complaint filed by Zaki was dismissed.
Regarding Housing Minister Randa El-Menshawy, Rashwan said the issue dates back several years and described it as an "unintentional mistake that was corrected at the time," stressing that it did not amount to a criminal offense.
The matter refers to a 2017 inquiry by the Public Funds Prosecution, when El-Menshawy was serving as head of the technical office of then Housing Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The investigation involved financial entitlements related to her role and board memberships in affiliated entities. The case was later settled after the requested sums were repaid.
Rashwan stressed that the government would support any credible corruption claims backed by documented evidence, stating that it would “join the plaintiff” if substantiated allegations are presented.
He also highlighted the importance of pluralism and constructive disagreement, saying that "differences of opinion should not undermine national unity."
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