Egyptian President Mohamad Mursi named on Tuesday outgoing irrigation minister Hisham Qandil as the country’s new prime minister and tasked him with forming a cabinet.

Egyptian President Mohamad Mursi named on Tuesday outgoing irrigation minister Hisham Qandil as the country's new prime minister and tasked him with forming a cabinet.

"This appointment of a patriotic and independent figure comes after much study and discussion to choose a person able to manage the current scenario," state television quoted Mursi spokesman Yassir Ali as saying.
"Dr Qandil had no affiliation to any political party before or after the revolution," said Ali.

Born in 1962, Qandil graduated from Cairo University's faculty of engineering before doing post-graduate studies in the United States.
In 1993, he received a doctorate from the University of North Carolina.

Qandil held various public sector posts in water and engineering, as well as in finance. He was a senior manager at the African Development Bank before heading Egypt's Nile Water Sector.