Sedki Sobhi

Sedki Sobhi (صدقى صبحى سيد أحمد ) (born 12 December 1955) is an Egyptian Colonel General who is serving as Minister of Defence and military production after he was sworn in after Abdul Fattah al-Sisi resigned so he could stand for the presidency.

Sobhi previously served as the Chief of Staff from August 2012 to March 2014 after he was promoted from the rank of Major General to Lieutenant General replacing the former chief of staff Lieutenant General Sami Hafez Anan. Previously he had commanded the Third Army.

Military education

 * Bachelor of military sciences, Egyptian Military Academy
 * The Advanced course, Egyptian Military Academy
 * The sophisticated course, Egyptian Military Academy
 * M.A. of Military sciences, Egyptian Joint Command and staff college
 * War Course, Fellowship of the Higher War College, Nasser's Military Sciences Academy
 * Pedestrian Infantry scholarship, United States
 * Advanced Infantry scholarship, United States
 * Training planning course, United States
 * War Course, US Army War College, United States
 * Multinational forces course, Germany

Main commands

 * Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Commander.
 * Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Chief of staff.
 * Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Commander.
 * Mechanized Infantry Division, Chief of Staff.
 * Mechanized Infantry Division, commander.
 * Third Army, Chief, Operations branch.
 * Third Army, Chief of Staff.
 * Third Army, Commander.

Connections with the United States
In 2004-5 Sedki Sobhi studied for a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. While there he wrote a paper recommending that the United States withdraw its military from the Middle East and concentrate instead on socio-economic aid for the region. The paper was posted on a US Department of Defense website, where it was noticed by analyst Issandr El Amrani.

After the 2013 Egyptian coup, Sedki Sobhi spoke by telephone on 4 July 2013 with Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and had spoken twice with him by 8 July.

Medals and Decorations

 * 25 April Decoration (Liberation of Sinai)
 * Distinguished Service Decoration
 * Military Duty Decoration, Second Class
 * Military Duty Decoration, First Class
 * Longevity and Exemplary Meda
 * Liberation of Kuwait Medal
 * Silver Jubilee of October War Medal
 * Golden Jubilee of the 23rd of July Revolution
 * Silver Jubilee of the Liberation of Sinai Medal
 * 25 January Revolution Medal