Cairo ministers trade places

Cairo - Egypt's information minister swapped roles with its youth and sports minister in a limited cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, a move which analysts said gives further prominence to a younger generation of ministers.

Youth and Sports Minister Anas el-Feki, who is in his 40s, was sworn in as new information minister after Mamdouh el-Beltagi in a ceremony at the offices of President Hosni Mubarak, the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.

It is seen as one of the cabinet's top posts as the Information Ministry controls Egypt's state-run media.

Beltagi, who is in his mid-60s, at the same ceremony officially took over Feki's old job. MENA did not give a reason for the swap of portfolios and government officials were not immediately available for comment.

Analysts said it was probably prompted by Beltagi's recently reported health problems, as he only became information minister in a reshuffle last July.

But they also said it was in line with that government shake-up, which saw several younger technocrats committed to economic reform take other key positions.

Feki is a member of a body in the ruling National Democratic Party that helps draw up policy and which is headed by the president's son, Gamal Mubarak, officials said.

Beltagi had made managerial changes in the state-run broadcasting monopoly, the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, since taking over from close presidential adviser Safwat el-Sherif seven months ago.