Ahmed Amr Darrag (born October 1958) is the founder and chairman of the Egyptian Institute for Studies (EIS). EIS is a think tank based in Istanbul, Turkey. He is an Egyptian engineer and politician, who briefly served as Egypt's minister of planning and international cooperation from 7 May to 4 July 2013 under the Freedom and Justice Party-led government.

Early life and education

Darrag was born in October 1958. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in soil mechanics and foundations both of which he received from

Cairo University Cairo University ( ar, جامعة القاهرة, Jāmi‘a al-Qāhira), also known as the Egyptian University from 1908 to 1940, and King Fuad I University and Fu'ād al-Awwal University from 1940 to 1952, is Egypt's premier public university ...

in 1980 and 1984, respectively. He also obtained a PhD in soil mechanics and foundations from

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and ...

in 1987.

Career

Darrag began his career in 1987 as a senior engineer for Erdman and Associates Inc. in Orlando, Florida, where he worked for one year. He served as the board chairman at Egyptian engineering consultancy firm, Engineering House of Expertise. He also worked as professor of geotechnical engineering at Cairo University. In addition, he served as director of corporate planning and business development at the Egyptian Group for Engineering Consultations (EGEC). He is one of the founding members of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islamist party in Egypt. He served as the party secretary in

Giza governorate Giza Governorate ( ar, محافظة الجيزة ') is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is in the center of the country, situated on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Cairo. Its capital is the city of Giza. It includes a stretch of ...

. He was appointed chairman of the party's foreign relations committee in July 2012 and also, served as chairman of its development and planning committee. He is a member of the higher commission and executive board of the party. He was secretary general of the constituent assembly that was tasked with drafting Egypt's 2012 constitution. In the general elections of 2011, he ran for a parliamentary seat in Giza on the list of the FJP, but lost the election. On 7 May 2013, Darrag was appointed minister of planning and international cooperation to the cabinet headed by prime minister

Hisham Qandil Hesham Mohamed Qandil (also spelled: ''Hisham Kandil''; ar, هشام محمد قنديل ; born 17 September 1962) is an Egyptian engineer and civil servant who was Prime Minister of Egypt from 2012 to 2013. Qandil was appointed as Prime ...

. Darrag replaced Ashraf Al Arabi in the post. He and other FJP members in the cabinet resigned from office on 4 July 2013 following the 2013 coup in Egypt. His term officially ended on 16 July 2013 when the interim government led by

Hazem Al Beblawi Hazem El Beblawi (also spelled ''el Beblawy''; ar, حازم عبد العزيز الببلاوى ; born 17 October 1936) is an Egyptian economist and politician who was interim Prime Minister of Egypt, prime minister of Egypt from 2013 unt ...

was formed.

Personal life

Darrag is married and has three daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darrag, Amr 20th-century Egyptian engineers 21st-century Egyptian engineers 1958 births Living people Cairo University alumni Purdue University College of Agriculture alumni Academic staff of Cairo University Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members Freedom and Justice Party (Egypt) politicians Planning ministers of Egypt Egyptian civil engineers International Cooperation ministers of Egypt