Egypt's Sisi swears in new government

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi waves as he arrives to the opening ceremony of the New Suez Canal, in Egypt August 6, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

CAIRO - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi kept his finance, investment and interior ministers in a new government sworn in on Saturday, state news agency MENA reported, as he tries to rebuild an economy battered by Islamist militant violence.

Sisi named former head of the state oil company Tarek al-Mullah as petroleum minister, charged with easing the country's energy crisis and attracting more foreign investment in a strategic sector.

Mullah succeeds Sherif Ismail, seen as one of the best-performing ministers, who became prime minister.

The new government faces a multitude of challenges.

Egypt is struggling to get large volumes of foreign investment after years of political turmoil triggered by the 2011 uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak, even though Sisi's economic reforms have won praise.