Khaberni - The Egyptian capital, Cairo, recently witnessed a notable and surprising appearance of Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, the former finance minister during President Hosni Mubarak's era, after an absence that had lasted for more than 14 years abroad since the events of January 2011.
The former minister's first official appearance was during a special visit he made to the papal headquarters in Cairo to meet Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Coptic Church stated yesterday, Monday, that Pope Tawadros received the former finance minister, who extended his congratulations for the New Year and Christmas.
"The Metal Plates"
Ghali's appearance in Cairo raised several questions about how he managed to enter the country despite previous judicial sentences against him in financial corruption and public funds embezzlement cases, most notably the "Metal Plates" case.
The former minister's legal path saw significant changes. In July 2023, the North Cairo Criminal Court acquitted Ghali in the case known in the media as "Customs Corruption," where he faced charges of profiteering and abusing his authority among other accusations.
An Egyptian court also acquitted him in November 2022 in the case known in the media as "The Metal Plates."
Ghali was born on August 20, 1952, in Cairo Governorate, and earned a Bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University in 1974. In 1981, he received a Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.
Throughout his professional career, he held the position of Minister of Economy from July 1997 to September 1999, and from January 1996 to June 1997, he was the Minister of State for Economic Affairs. In 2004, Ghali was chosen as the Minister of Finance, a position he held until 2011.
Before entering the political arena, Ghali worked as an assistant professor in economics at the Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences at Cairo University and as the director of the Economic Analysis Centre at the Cabinet of Ministers. From 1991 to 1993, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Egypt.
It’s worth noting that in February 2011, Ghali left Egypt heading to Beirut and then to London. He stayed there over the years working as an economic advisor to several international institutions, before recently deciding to return to Cairo after resolving his legal issues.
