20111129
Reuters
(Reuters) - Egypt's new prime minister, Kamal al-Ganzouri, said on Monday he aimed to announce his new cabinet by the end of the week.

Protesters in Tahrir Square criticized the army's choice of Ganzouri, who served as prime minister under ousted President Hosni Mubarak in the 1990s. But other ordinary Egyptians have welcomed his appointment, seeing him as untainted by corruption.

Economists say Egypt, which on Monday held its first election since a popular uprising ousted Mubarak, desperately needs a government that will help bring order and restore credibility in the battered economy.

Egypt's shares and currency have been hammered by the uprising and recent clashes between protesters and police.

"The formation of the new cabinet will be announced by the end of the week, maybe Thursday," Ganzouri told reporters. The last day of Egypt's working week is Thursday.

He added: "I met with the military council today to discuss forming a civilian consultative council that will work with the new cabinet."

In what appeared to be a gesture to the protesters demanding the army immediately hand over power to civilians, the army said on Sunday it had agreed to forming a civilian consultative council that would work with the military and government to run Egypt.