CAIRO — Egypt’s former prime minister Sherif Ismail died Saturday at the age of 68. Sherif Ismail passed away here after a long struggle with illness.

“I mourn with sincere sorrow a noble man of Egypt’s honorable men. A man who embodied the nation’s conscience former prime minister Ismail Sherif,” President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi wrote on his official Facebook account.

He extolled Sherif as a great man who assumed the responsibility of leading the Egyptian government at the most difficult and delicate time “and he was up to it”.

Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly also mourned Sherif, describing him as a great man whose contributions would be kept in Egypt’s memory forever.

Sherif led the Egyptian government during the period from Sept. 12, 2015 to June 5, 2015. Then he served as presidential aide for national and strategic projects. He was minister of petroleum and mineral resources from 2013 to 2015.

Sisi mourned the passing of Sherif. “The late (Sherif) was a truly great man, who assumed responsibility in the most difficult circumstances and darkest times, and he was up to the difficult responsibility,” Sisi added.

“Sherif showed all detachment, sincerity, honesty, and a desire to give, rising above all gains, not seeking anything but the interest of his country and his people.”

Sisi continued, “I condole myself and the Egyptian people for the loss of this loyal man.”

Born in July 1955, Sherif graduated as a mechanical engineer in 1978 from Ain Shams University and started his career in oil exploration at the multinational oil company Mobil.

In 1979, he moved to Egypt’s Engineering for the Petroleum and Process Industries (ENPPI), eventually joining its board of directors.

He then served as the deputy minister of petroleum in charge of oil and gas operations from 2000 to 2005.

In 2005, he became the chairman of the Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS), where he served until 2007 when he was appointed as the chairman of the Ganoub El-Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (GANOPE).

On June 5, 2018, Sherif presented his resignation. This came on the heels of gastrointestinal tract surgery in Germany earlier the same year that forced the prime minister to take two months medical leave. — Agencies