CAIRO, EGYPT— Crowds cheered and welcomed Egypt's newest appointed Prime Minister-designate on Friday in Cairo.

Essam Sharaf was greeted by cheers as thousands of Egyptians crowded into Tahrir Square as the former Transport Minister was escorted by the military to a podium where he addressed the audience. Sharaf is popular with the opposition that toppled the long reign of Hosni Mubarak.

Sharaf replaced Ahmed Shafiq, a former Air Force Officer, who had been appointed by then-Prime Minister Mubarak just before he resigned on Feb. 11.