What I Expect from Diaa Rashwan

I was very pleased as Egypt has reinstated the Ministry of Information as a state ministry in a major February 2026 cabinet overhaul, to regulate the media process. My happiness grew even more with the selection of my colleague and dear friend, Dr. Diaa Rashwan, for this difficult mission.

From the first moment he took the constitutional oath, his media experience was clearly evident. As soon as rumors began to spread about the Minister of Culture—claiming there was a court ruling against her related to intellectual property—he immediately stepped forward to confirm that there was no final judicial verdict. For us,  these statements, and the swift response to the rumors before they escalated, represented a reassuring message to us as media figures. We have long suffered from the absence of timely responses at the moment rumors spread, and from the vacuum that allowed them to dominate the scene.

We have always needed someone who understands the importance of timing and the value of exclusive, accurate information—especially since we once had prominent ministers of information such as Safwat El-Sherif, who had his strengths and shortcomings, but no one can deny that he was a successful minister. The same for Anas El-Feki, who was also among the most successful information ministers.

I know it is still too early to judge Minister Diaa Rashwan, but I expect great success for him. We need a clear vision that understands the necessity of relying on credible sources, responding quickly, and issuing disciplined statements. When ministries used to delay releasing statements regarding a crisis or a rumor, the media would find itself facing questions without answers.

Diaa Rashwan is no stranger to this field. He is a journalist from the Al-Ahram school, headed the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, then served as head of the State Information Service, and played a prominent role in managing the National Dialogue. All these stages have given him vast experience: he knows research, understands politics, appreciates the sensitivity of words, and realizes how media messaging is managed both domestically and internationally.

Personally, I expect a lot from him. I look forward to faster access to information, better control of the media landscape, and a serious contribution to developing the media as the president has directed more than once. We are still waiting for the implementation of the directives related to building a modern, professional media sector that is capable of competition and also capable of protecting public awareness.

Dr. Diaa Rashwan… the position is not easy. But you are qualified enough to the responsibility and the heavy task. Congratulations on assuming this very important post. We expect a lot from you—first and foremost, a vision that restores the Egyptian media’s confidence in itself and the public’s trust in it.