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Bi-monthly Perioidical/ 14 th Issue /July 2016 letter from Revolution fulfills all 3 merits of political roadmap Egyptians will determines the nation s fate

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Bi-monthly Perioidical/ 14th Issue /July 2016

letter from

Revolution fulfills all 3 merits of

political roadmap

Egyptians’ will determines the nation’s fate

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Sisi: Egyptian people

regain identity by

June 30 Revolution

June 30

Revolution at the foreign level …

June 30 Revolution fulfills all 3 merits of

political roadmap

Table of contents

Bi-monthly Perioidical/ Eleventh Issue /March 2016

Chairman of SIS Ambassador

Salah A Elsadek

Editor-in-ChiefAbdel Mo'ti Abu Zeid

Executive EditorNashwa Abdel Hamid

EditorsMostafa Ahmady

Iman Abd el Megeed

Layout

Nisreen Ahmed

Letter from Cairo A bi-monthly periodical on the current political, economic, andcultural developments in Egypt

Issued by Foreign Information SectorState Information ServiceArab Republic of Egypt

SIS Website: http://sis.gov.eg Email: [email protected]

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The ramifications of the June 30 Revolution and the events of July 3 transcend their local dimension in view of the enormous impact these developments had both regionally and internationally. On June

30th, 2013, even more millions flooded Tahrir Square again, ending Muslim Brotherhood rule. Social justice has been at the heart of the revolutionary slogans chanted by millions of Egyptians. A new hope rises with the 2nd public revolution in Egypt for the people to demand a better way of life, freedom and social justice and to go after their dreams.

Following the revolution of the Egyptian people on June 30, 2013 to announce their rejection of attempts to hijack their dreams and hopes for a better life to all Egyptians, and after success of the concerted endeavors of all Egyptians, and the support of the Egyptian army for the popular will, Egyptian diplomacy intensified its efforts to restore the country’s regional standing and revive its role in regional issues of priority, including the Palestinian cause and the crises in Syria, Libya and Yemen. The June 30 Revolution also confirmed Egypt’s foreign policy pillars, which consecrate the Palestinian issue as a top priority.

The economy began to improve with the May 2014 election of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and a jump in short-term assistance from regional allies. This enabled the nation to shore up its foreign reserves, cover a portion of its import obligations and position itself to honor a bond maturing in the third quarter of the year. The government’s approach to strengthening the economy can also be seen in its execution of monetary policy. Egypt’s economy has continued to expand, with the IMF forecasting GDP growth of roughly 4.4% for 2016. The President also launched a number of mega national projects with the aim of improving the country’s infrastructure and serving low-income earners. Located at a crossroads between Africa, Asia and Europe, Egypt remains one of the world’s most strategically important countries, as it has been for millennia.

The current issue commemorates the June 30 Revolution and sheds light on its achievements on political, economic and social levels.

Editorial

June 30

Revolution at the domestic level …

… A revolution for regaining identity & development

Bi-monthly Perioidical/ 14th Issue /July 2016

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Sisi: Egyptian people regain identity by June 30 Revolution

«Three years ago, Egyptians ordered and their call was answered» forces and police to crackdown on

“violence and terrorism”. Referring to the July 2013’s call, Sisi said: “The aim was to tell everyone that this was the Egyptians’ will.”

President Sisi then detailed the message he carried to Egyptians. “Egypt is telling you: this is not where I should be. This is not my size, is it? Is this what I am to you? I shouldn’t need anyone while you, Egyptians, are here. “So we don’t eat? Yes, we don’t eat. We don’t sleep? Yes, we don’t sleep. So she [Egypt] takes her proper place,” Sisi said.

The president then called upon Egyptians to be devoted at work and to “take care of Egypt.” “This is not Egypt’s rank. Egypt’s status is much higher than this,” he said. “It is not appropriate for Egypt to be in this position while we are here.”

He also said Egypt must protect its youth and give them real hope. “We achieved a lot in the past two years, but a lot of time is still needed for the dream we want to achieve,” he said. “What happened, even though it is huge, is [one] step out of 1000 steps.”

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also attended a ceremony on the anniversary of the June 30 revolution at Cairo Opera House. A documentary on incidents that led to the revolution and the conditions in the country at that time due to the practices of the Muslim Brotherhood and its ousted leader Mohamed Morsi was aired at the beginning of the ceremony. The documentary covers also the political road-map which was announced after the revolution and the new stage Egypt is experiencing now. A host of Egypt’s intellectuals, media men and state figures were present. The celebration also featured a ballet show, an operetta and national songs.

During his speech at the Cairo Opera House, President Sisi said that the status of Egypt is the responsibility of its citizens, and that they should not let anyone deceive them and ruin their country. “Three years ago, Egyptians ordered and their call was answered,” El-Sisi said. “The people and the army are one thing,” he added.

On 24 July 2013, Sisi, then army chief, called for nationwide rallies on 26 July to mandate the armed

The Egyptian people regained their identity with the June 30 Revolution and proved

to the world that their will cannot be curbed or broken, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said. On the third anniversary of the June revolution, the president said the revolution embodied the Egyptian people’s persistence to achieve their goals and ability to overcome challenges and difficulties, adding that the state has been working strenuously to achieve the hopes of the Egyptian people for a better future and has launched over the past two years several national projects in different spheres.

President Sisi said that since coming to power, he has been keen to be briefed in person on the challenges facing the development of each of the state’s sectors. He greeted the Egyptian people, the Armed Forces and police for striking a great example of national coherence and facing together terrorism trying to stand against the will and aspirations of the Egyptian people. He paid tribute to Egypt’s martyrs and persons injured for the sake of the nation.

In a speech marking its 3rd anniversary …

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Revolution fulfills all 3 merits of

political roadmap38.6 percent (20,613,677) of registered voters cast ballots in the referendum on the draft constitution, surpassing the 32% turnout of 2012 constitutional referendum. The number of ‘yes’ voters was 19,985,389. More than 53,423,485 Egyptians were registered to vote in the constitution referendum that took place on 14 and 15 January, according to the SEC.

The 2014 constitution has granted parliament greater powers, turning Egypt from an absolute presidential system into a mixed presidential-parliamentary system. Articles from 101 to 138 give parliament the power to revise all laws enacted since Morsi’s ouster – it can revise, reject, or ratify them – as well as to oversee the executive branch and endorse the annual state budget.

Progress on key freedoms

The new constitution does away with the Islamist-inspired “shortcomings” of its 2012 predecessor, which was faulted for entrenching Islamic oversight on lawmaking and falling short on basic freedoms. As it stands, the new constitution bolsters press

freedoms and hold Egypt to its obligations under international rights treaties. Observers say freedom of expression is well-framed in the amended document.

Another change for the better is jettisoning Islamist-drafted Article 81, which stated that the practice of rights and freedoms should not “conflict with” the state and society provisions of the charter – a provision faulted for being overly broad and open to abuse by authorities. The charter guarantees freedom of peaceful assembly and demonstration, but says the right will be prescribed by the disputed legislation, to the dismay of many.

The draft charter enshrines an outright ban on closing down, proscribing or censoring papers and media outlets, in a more “tightly” phrased provision than that of the old document. Media may be censored, within limits, at times of war and public mobilization, according to the new charter.

In another break with the past, the constitution has in effect scrapped prison sentences for press and expression-related crimes.

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2014 constitution:

On 3 December 2013, the panel charged with amending Egypt’s constitution passed a final draft of the charter to Egypt’s interim president, Adly Mansour. The 2012 constitution, passed during Mohamed Morsi’s presidency, was suspended after

In July 2013, Egypt announced a roadmap after Morsi’s removal, which included a new constitution, presidential and parliamentary elections. The roadmap, which was backed by most political forces and state institutions, ended the rule of president Mohamed

Morsi and dismantled the Islamist-dominated Shura Council (parliament’s upper house and only house operating back then) immediately on 3 July, 2013. The next year, it instigated amendments to the 2012 constitution (drafted mainly by Islamist figures) and presidential elections that Egypt’s incumbent leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi won. On Sunday 10 January 2016, Egypt’s new Parliament was sworn in, completing the final phase of the political “Road Map” envisioned by representatives of various Egyptian political currents. This is an important milestone for Egypt, after a period of political turmoil, and one that has been welcomed by the vast majority of Egypt’s international partners. With the conclusion of parliamentary elections at the end of 2015 and the seating of a new House of Representatives in January 2016, Egypt has now completed the steps outlined in its transitional roadmap.

Artists, writers and filmmakers are no longer vulnerable to lawsuits brought by individuals irked by their artwork. Only state prosecutors would be entitled to to bring cases against their works.

Observers have hailed the treatment of children’s rights, saying the new charter provides better protection against violence, and embraces “specific language” on child labour. While similar guaranteed protections were patchily applied before, a new caveat criminalizing torture, with no statute of limitations, has been added.

The new constitution enshrines a number of innovative measures that limit the power of the president. These include mechanisms for parliament to withdraw confidence from or even vote to impeach the president. The president can dissolve parliament after calling for a public referendum (Article 137) while two thirds of parliament can call for a public referendum to end the president’s rule and organize early presidential Elections (Article 161). The president also has the right to object to laws issued by parliament and has the

Morsi’s removal from power. The amended charter was put to national referendum. The Supreme Electoral Committee (SEC) announced that 98.1 percent of Egyptians voting in the referendum on the new constitution approved the amended national charter, with a turnout rate of 38.6 percent. SEC said

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right to promulgate laws with the approval of two thirds of parliament (Articles 122 and 123). While the president can appoint a prime minister chosen from within the party that wins a majority in parliament (Article 146), parliament can withdraw confidence from the prime minister chosen by the president (Article 133).

Parliament in the new draft constitution is made of one chamber, known as the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is to be made up of 450 members elected by the public for five years. The president, however, has the right to appoint five percent of house members, according to Article 102. The main role of the House of Representatives, as mentioned in Article 101, is legislative, as well as “to approve the State’s general policies as well as public economic, cultural and social policies, and the public budget.” The article also states that parliament has a supervisory role relative to the executive authority.

The constitution also favors administrative, financial and economic decentralization of the country’s governorates and local councils (Articles 165 and 167).

The constitution comprises a major step forward in regulating the role of Islamic sharia and in allowing religious freedom. The new draft maintains the position of sharia in social conscience, but prevents any infringements on constitutional jurisdiction. Having gone in the direction of achieving that balance, amending the articles related to the rule of sharia law to their current position in the draft was certainly a positive step. Most notably, the new draft has jettisoned Article 219, which had defined the aspects of sharia on which legislation will be based. Article 219 posed a restriction on lawmakers. Removing it also helps Eliminate possible conflict between sharia and constitutional jurisdiction.

Presidential Elections:

On May 26-27 2014, Egypt held its second presidential election in three years. Since the 2011 revolution, the Egyptian people have voted on one president, two constitutions, and hundreds of parliamentarians, all with the hope of achieving the goals of the revolution: freedom, dignity, and justice. Egyptians once again lined up at the polls to vote, this time for a new president.

Egypt’s Presidential Elections Commission (PEC) has declared former military chief Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Egypt’s new president, confirming that he won 23.78 million votes (96.91 percent) in the 26-28 May Election. El-Sisi’s sole contender, leftist Hamdeen Sabahi, took a modest 757,511 of the votes (3.09 percent).

According to PEC Chairman Judge Anwar el-Assi, 25,578,233 voted in the elections, a turnout of 47.5 percent. Spoilt votes exceeded the votes for Sabahi,

with 1,040,608 invalidated ballots. The Election was scheduled to take place over a period of two days, but the PEC made a last minute decision to extend voting by an additional day, attributing its decision as a response to calls by “large swaths of the people”. The decision was appealed by both candidates, but the appeals were turned down by the PEC. El-Assi said during a press conference that the voting was at its peak during the night and morning, with 10 percent of those who voted coming on the third day.

The number of polling stations was 13,899, said El-Assi, who added that the increase in the number of stations – up from 13,099 – contributed towards increasing the turnout and making the voting process smooth.

Egyptian expats voted abroad from 15 to 19 May in 141 polling stations in Egyptian consulates and embassies worldwide. The PEC announced that out of 318,033 Egyptians who voted abroad, El-Sisi won 296,628 (94.5 percent) of the votes, while Sabahi got 17,207 (5.5 percent). Invalid votes totalled 4,198.

Parliamentary Elections:

The 2015 parliamentary elections were divided in two phases, first phase was held in 14 governorates and the second phase was held in 13 governorates. 5432 candidates run for the parliamentary elections, including 3622 independent candidates and 1810 political parties’ candidates.

On October 17, Parliament election’s first phase started abroad, while on October 18 it started in Egypt in Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Asyut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea, Alexandria, Beheira and Matrouh governorates. The elections’ first phase run-off

round was held on October 26 and 27 abroad, while it was held in Egypt on October 27 and 28.

The elctions’ second phase started on November 21 abroad, while it started in Egypt on November 22 in Cairo, Qalyubia, Dakahlia, Monufia, Gharbia, Kafr El-Sheikh, Sharqia, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai and South Sinai governorates. The elections’ second phase run-off round was held outside Egypt on 29-30 November, while it was held in Egypt on 1-2 December.

According to High Elections Committee’s (HEC) data, 7,270,594 Egyptians cast their ballots in Elections first phase from a total of 27,402,353 voters with a 26.56% turnout. In the Elections second phase, 8,412,011 Egyptians cast their ballots from a total of 28,204,225 voters with a

succeeded in obtaining 65 seats, Nation’s Future Party obtained 51 seats, “Al Wafad” Party won 33 seats, Homeland Defenders Party obtained 17 seats, Republican People’s Party won 13 seats, Conference Party won 12 seats, “Al Nour” party obtained 11 seats, Conservatives Party won 6 seats, Democratic Peace Party got 4 seats, Modern Egypt Party won 4 seats, Egyptian Social Democratic Party won 4 seats, Egyptian Patriotic Movement got 4 seats, Reform and Development Misruna Party won 3 seats, Freedom Party obtained 3 seats and “Misr Balady” Party got 3 seats, while Revolution Guards Party, “Al Tagammo” Party, Arab Democratic Nasserist Party, Social Peace Party and “Al Sarh Al Masry” Party each won 1 seat. “For the Love of Egypt” electoral list won during the elections’ two phases in four constituencies 120 seats including 75 seats for independent

turnout of 29.83%, thus bringing the total number of voters during the Electoral process to 15,682,605 from 55,606,578 scheduled voters with 22.3% turnout.

The number of independent candidates who succeeded to win the parliament seats during the elections’ two phases reached 317 candidates in addition to other 238 parties candidates. Free Egyptians Party

candidates and 45 seats for parties’ candidates.

The current parliament witness the presence of 37 Christian members including 13 independent candidates and 24 electoral lists candidates, a number considered to be the largest in the Parliament. It also has 73 female members, which is considered the largest representation for women in the Parliament ever.

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In the aftermath of the June 30th Revolution, Egypt’s foreign policy has faced

unprecedented challenges given that many countries did not give due support to Egypt during that critical phase. Moreover, military aid, which was crucial in sustaining Egypt in its fierce war against terror, was also cut off. Other countries raised doubts over the June 30th Revolution’s motives and the African Union suspended Egypt’s membership. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry

has worked on sustaining a balanced policy based on a long-term strategic vision. The foreign visits of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his meetings with different Arab and foreign leaders and officials, as well as Egypt’s hosting of many successful summits and events, like the Arab Summit and the Economic Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh, reflected a new course in Egypt’s foreign policy. The main objective has been to balance Egypt’s policies overseas, without

being polarized to any power whatsoever. It was also clear that adopting the principle of constructive cooperation as a means of developing international relations has helped contain any would-be misunderstanding regarding Egypt’s relations with any country.

In light of the above facts, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with the leaders of Federal Russia, the USA, the UK, France, China, Germany,

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Revolution at the foreign level …

Balanced, open foreign policy

Italy, Spain, Greece, India, the Vatican, Switzerland, Guinea, Ethiopia, South Africa and India. He also met with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan and Algeria. In all these meetings, the President discussed means of combating terror as well as promoting Egypt’s economy, trade and investments.

New perspective of cooperation policy with Africa

After President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi assumed office in June 2014, the African Union lifted Egypt’s suspension. Egyptian diplomacy did play a big role towards that goal. Since assuming office, President el-Sisi has been keen on participating in the African Union summits to help restore Egypt’s status in Africa in general, and in the Nile Basin region in particular. In July 2014, the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) was established to push forward cooperation with Africa via providing technical expertise to African countries in all fields. Egypt was also elected a member for a three-year term at the African Union Peace and Security Council, having secured the support of 47 African countries.

Improving ties with Africa in general and with the Nile Basin states in particular has been a priority in post-30 June Egypt. Foreign minister Sameh Shoukri toured several African states this year to enhance relations with them. In its relations with the Nile Basin states, especially Ethiopia,

Egypt has tried to create a win-win situation, giving priority to confidence-building measures. During his visit to Addis Ababa in March 2015, el-Sisi addressed the Ethiopian parliament and called for a new era of cooperation and development between the two states. He pointed to Egypt’s commitment to the Declaration of Principles on the $4.2 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the mutual interests of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

El-Sisi’s participation in the African Union summit in June 2014 was another breakthrough in Egypt’s relations with Africa. The summit, held in Equatorial Guinea in June, contributed to lifting the ban on Egypt’s membership of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC), thawing Egyptian-African relations. Immediately following Morsi’s removal, the African Union suspended Egypt from the PSC because it regarded

the step as a “deviation” from the democratic path. The ban was lifted a few days before the summit after Egypt took two further steps on its post-30 June road map, namely the ratification of the new constitution and the presidential elections.

During the AU summit, el-Sisi met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and the two leaders issued a joint statement that underlined the basic principles governing their relations. Ethiopia would understand the importance of the Nile River to Egypt and Egypt would appreciate the Ethiopian need for development, the statement said.

Egypt, Voice of Africa and Arab World at Security Council

In October 2015, Egypt won a non-permanent seat the United Nations Security Council after gaining the

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support of 179 countries. This reflected the confidence of the international community in Egypt and its ability to bear its responsibilities towards maintaining international peace and security and highlighting African and Arab issues and those of the developing nations. Egypt chairs three committees at the Security Council: counter-terrorism committee and two follow-up committees on sanctions on Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Egyptian-Arab relations

Egypt is back to resume her leading Arab role. Most of Arab countries have supported Egypt in the wake of the June 30 Revolution. Egypt hosted the Arab Summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh in March 2015, resulting in a number of policies that seek to preserve Arab national security and urge the international community to extend a helping hand towards solving Arab problems. During

that time, Egypt’s relations with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have enormously grown at political, economic, and military levels. Egypt has restored its leading role in support of the Arab causes. Egypt played a big role in bringing to an end the Israeli assault on Gaza in 2014 and hosted an international conference for donor countries to foster the process of Gaza Strip reconstruction. Egypt has repeatedly warned against the worsening situations in Iraq and Syria and against the infiltration of excessively extremist organizations into the two sisterly nations. Egypt has also denounced the deteriorating situations in Libya, Egypt’s western neighbor, and in Yemen; hence Egypt joined in the efforts of the Arab alliance in a bid to restoring legitimacy there. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi made it clear more than once to our Arab brothers and sisters that Egypt was ready to resist any attempt aimed at changing

the identity of the region, and that it will continue its efforts in confronting terror. Egypt’s national security is highly attached to that of the Arabs; hence, Egypt works on sustaining the territorial integrity of the Arab lands. Cairo hosted, therefore, meetings for the warring factions in Syria and Libya, being committed to respecting the unity and sovereignty of the two nations without interfering in their internal affairs and also working on protecting their independence.

Egypt and the Palestinian cause

The June 30 Revolution confirmed Egypt’s foreign policy pillars, which consecrate the Palestinian issue as a top priority. This emanates from Egypt’s firm belief in the right of the Palestinian people to obtain their usurped legitimate rights and establish their independent state on 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem. On the political front, President Abdel

Fattah el-Sisi made an invitation to solve the Palestinian issue fairly, stressing the need to take all measures by the international community to end this conflict and enable the Palestinians to live in freedom and dignity. He also stressed that Egypt is ready to make all efforts in this regard. On the humanitarian level, following the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2014, Egypt organized in cooperation with the Norwegian government a Cairo conference on Palestine: “Reconstructing Gaza” on October 12, 2014, to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and alleviate the consequences of aggression, whereby the conference reaped about USD5.4 billion in international aid to Palestine. Egypt is making great efforts to lift the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip and allow all the basic materials into the Gaza Strip, as well as ensure the provision of basic services needed by the population in order to improve their living conditions and minimize the impact of humanitarian crises to which they are exposed. Egypt participated in the Paris ministerial meeting in support of the peace process on June 3, 2016. Moreover, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Ramallah carrying a verbal message from President Sisi to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. This came in the framework of following up on Egypt’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause and helping achieve a comprehensive and just solution that entails a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Egypt and the Syrian crisis

The June 30 Revolution restored Egypt’s weight in the region, whereby Egypt is working hard to help its Syrian brothers overcome the plight brought on by the ongoing conflict there. Egypt seeks Syria’s security and stability on its territory and among all the segments that comprise its people.

In this context, a platform for the national Syrian opposition - led by the Syrians themselves - was made available through Egypt’s sponsorship of a group that attracts a moderate national opposition seeking a political solution to establish a civil state in Syria, while maintaining its territorial integrity and the ties between its societal and religious segments and preserving Syrian state institutions. The Cairo conference of the Syrian opposition was held in January 2015, then an expanded second conference was held in Cairo in June 2015 and issued the release of the “road map” and “the Syrian National Charter” documents. Egypt’s efforts with regional and international parties and the Syrian national opposition, emanate from its faith in the need to encourage positive interaction with the political process sponsored by the United Nations through the ongoing talks in Geneva. Egypt participated in the international Syria support group, whereby Egypt’s participation reflected the Egyptian position, which is based on several principles topped by rejection of a military

solution, protecting the elements of the Syrian state, fighting terrorism, and contributing to alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people.

Egypt and the Libyan crisis

The Libyan issue comes at the forefront of Egyptian foreign policy, given the depth of historical and strategic relations between the two countries, confirmed by Egypt through its initiative, expressing its firm and clear position from developments in Libya, based on three principles; respect for the unity and sovereignty of Libya and its territorial integrity, non-interference in Libyan internal affairs and maintaining its political independence, as well as commitment to a comprehensive dialogue and renouncing violence.

Egypt and the Yemeni crisis

Egypt followed the developments of the Yemeni issue since the February revolution of 2011, and how the country has suffered from the lack of security and political stability, as it is one of the priorities of Egyptian foreign policy in light of the special nature of relations between the two countries, of which the strategic and security dimension is a key element. Egypt has always supported the unity of Yemeni territory and welcomed all United Nations and Security Council resolutions on Yemen, as well as supporting a peaceful settlement of the conflict and national dialogue in order to reach a consensual

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solution. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed in more than a statement Egypt’s support to institutions and symbols of state legitimacy, and indicated that the future of Yemen is determined by consensus among the various political parties, stressing the importance of the commitment of all Yemeni political parties to continue the political dialogue under the UN auspices, on the basis of the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanisms, the outputs of the national dialogue, the peace agreement, in addition to national partnership, and relevant decisions of the Security Council as the only way to resolve the current crisis of the country, which was embodied in a meeting of President Sisi with the Vice President of Yemen and Prime Minister Khaled Bahah in July 2015, as well as the meeting of the Egyptian prime minister with Bahah during a visit to Cairo in June 2015.

On the other hand, with the deteriorating situation in Yemen, Egypt delivered humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people in August 2015, which suffered from the escalation of armed clashes, resulting in the destruction of the infrastructure and the poor access to food and medical supplies, as well as sending a number of Egyptian doctors to contribute to the provision of health care for the Yemeni people.

Egypt has announced its political and military support for the step taken by the Gulf states - at the request of the legitimate government - to form an Arab alliance led by Saudi Arabia to intervene militarily in Yemen to target strongholds of the Houthis, based on Egypt’s historical responsibilities towards Arab national security and security of the Gulf region.

Egyption -Russian relations

Egypt’s foreign policy is based on diversification of the country’s international relations as evidenced by a number of partnerships with important countries such as Federal Russia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Speaking of Federal Russia, the mutual visits between leaders of the two nations have shown that they see eye to eye on a number of regional issues. Russia regards Egypt as major decision-maker in the Middle East given its geo-strategic location in the region. The Egyptian-Russian agreement on establishing a nuclear power plant has helped boost relations between the two sides.

Genuine partnership with Europe

Europe is placed high on Egypt’s foreign policy agenda. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi paid many visits to EU countries and this helped achieve rapprochement between the two sides. Visits by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to Europe were wholly focused on reiterating the importance of Egyptian-European cooperation at the political and economic levels. He also participated in various forums for coordination in different regional and international issues, atop of which is combating terrorism.

Relations with Europe also saw a breakthrough after el-Sisi’s visit to Germany in early June 2015. The two countries have

Egyptian-American relations

In the wake of June 30 Revolution, Egyptian-American relations have seen various ups and downs that remained, for some time, till President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi assumed office. Now, relations are stable given that Egypt regards the US as an important partner to which it has been bound by mutual interests in the past four decades. Meetings and visits were held and exchanged between the two sides and the strategic dialogue was also resumed after a five-year halt. The US adopted measures to lift restrictions that were imposed on military aid program. The other breakthrough in relations with the US was US president Barack Obama’s decision to send Egypt 12 US F-16 fighter jets which had been held up along with other weapons after the June 30 Revolution.

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Revolution at the domestic level …

Economic boost, mega projects re-shaping Egypt

Egypt, in post-June 30 phase, has prioritized the economic dossier given its importance in rebuilding the nation and achieving a much-needed boom in the economy. Hence, Egypt held the Economic Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh which helped attract investments to the country. Moreover, the government unveiled some

mega projects like the New Suez Canal, the Suez Canal Development Corridor, and the reclamation of 1.5 million feddans. In addition, Egypt has put into effect a comprehensive social justice system via building hundreds of thousands of housing units, reforming the government subsidy program and promoting different sectors of the economy.

reasons to keep good relations, as Egypt is keen to maintain strong ties with an important European state like Germany and Germany wants to keep good relations with Egypt which plays a pivotal role in resolving important issues in the Middle East, especially in Libya and Yemen. During el-Sisi’s visit to Germany, a number of important contracts in energy, housing, infrastructure, education and other fields were signed.

The year 2014 saw two other important European visits that further contributed to meeting the objectives of Egypt’s foreign policy in establishing diverse relationships with world states. The first visit was to Italy, France and the Vatican in November 2014. In France, President Sisi discussed with French officials ways to boost

bilateral dialogue on various regional and international issues, among the Palestinian issue. The visit also boosted military, cultural and economic relations between the two states. President Sisi’s visit to Italy was not less important, especially on the economic level given that Rome is Egypt’s number one trade partner in the EU. That visit was preceded by a tripartite summit hosted by Cairo that brought together Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. The summit discussed ways of deepening cooperation among other issues.

Egypt’s counter-terror efforts

The confrontation of terror, in all its forms, has been placed high on Egypt’s foreign policy. The country has called on

the whole world to adopt a comprehensive strategy to fight terrorism in a manner that is not confined to dealing with a specific terror organization or group, but tackles the very roots of terror everywhere in the world. Egypt’s vision is based on fighting poverty, being the breeding ground of terror and violence. Egypt has called on the international community to work on improving the living conditions of peoples in the region that is hit hardly by terror. Egypt’s foreign policy in this regard focused on highlighting the Egyptian experience in confronting extremism and terror, particularly through raising religious awareness and education through the leading role which Al-Azhar, the highest Muslim institution in the world.

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The One and Half Million Feddans Project

This project aims at reclamation of one and a half million feddans, being part of a national project for cultivating four million feddans. The objective is to expand the urban communities and find new prospects of sustainable development. The project will be established on three phases: the first and second phases include reclamation of one million feddans at el-Farafra, in el-Wadi El-Gedid Governorate and other areas in Upper Egypt’s governorates of Aswan, Qena, and el-Menya. The third phase is located at el-Tor in South Sinai and other areas. The first phase was launched on December 30, 2015 via developing 10.000 feddans in el-Farafra. Now, the targeted land there is ready for cultivation and housing units were already established, in addition to government buildings and other utilities.

New Administrative Capital: A 50-year-old dream comes true

Fifty years ago, Egypt had a dream to establish a new administrative capital to help ease the huge pressure imposed on Cairo, the capital city, via transferring government buildings and ministries to the new administrative capital. At the same time, Cairo would turn into a tourist destination given its rich cultural and historical heritage. The project will house government

buildings, diplomatic missions’ headquarters, hotels, and housing units. It is located between the capital city of Cairo and two cities of el-Suez and Ain Sukhna.

The project includes establishing an airport and solar power plants. It is expected to be completed in 5 years at a cost of USD 45 billion. The new administrative capital will host business, cultural and innovation centers and more than 600 medical centers, 2000 schools and

The Egypt Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh

The outcome of the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) held in Egypt’s coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh on the 13-15th March 2015 went beyond all expectations. During that conference, contracts worthy of USD 45 billion were signed to establish Egypt’s new administrative capital. Oil and natural gas excavation projects were also inked with total investments of up to USD 21 billion. The Egyptian government signed agreement with the giant German Siemens to add 6.5 GW of power to the national grid with investments worthy of USD 11.6 billion. The government also signed another agreement with British Petroleum to increase natural gas production by 20-25% with investments of USD 12 billion. The EEDC also yielded remarkable results sustaining Egypt with USD 12.5 billion in financial aid and assistance from the Gulf Region. National mega projects

Since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi assumed office

in June 2014, it has been crystal clear that he seeks to establish mega projects in all fields to empower Egypt to be a hub for Arab and regional investments. The projects are national in terms of impact and span various sectors; transportation and logistics in the case of the New Suez Canal and Suez Canal Development Zone and the ambitious plan to build thousands of kilometers of highways. They also include an ambitious plan to reclaim millions of acres for agricultural use. Besides being national, the projects are humungous in size.

The New Suez Canal Project

The New Suez Canal Project is by all means one of the greatest mega projects implemented so far in Egypt. The project, which was expected to be finalized within three years, was concluded in just one year as it was inaugurated in August 2015. The New Suez Canal boosts Egypt’s status as a global trade partner and helps create new job opportunities. The Egyptian people supported the project in an unprecedented manner:

through public subscription, the Egyptians managed to raise USD 8 billion in a few days for the project. The New Suez Canal will push forward the Egyptian economy and turn Egypt into a more vibrant global trade and logistical center. It will also help increase the Suez Canal revenues by 149% to reach USD 13.2 billion by 2023.

The Suez Canal Development Corridor

The Suez Canal Development Corridor aims at making the best use of the great potentials of the Suez Canal via setting up a global trade and logistical center. That region is envisioned to be a complete economic and urban community, providing logistical, industrial, tourist, and marine services to global trade partners. The project spans through 460 square kilometers and it enjoys a special economic status, being composed of Western Port Said Port, Eastern Port Said Port, the industrial zone in West Qantara, the Valley of Technology in the east of New City of Ismailia, el-Adabia Port, Ain Shukhna Port, Al-Arish Port and El-Tor Port.

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time of the plan; therefore, the cabinet approved the payment of 10% of the dues of construction companies that work on the infrastructure operations and housing projects there. The Western Northern Coast Development Project

The Western Northern Coast Development Project is one of the major national projects, listed in the National Strategic Plan for Urban Development by 2052. It spans over 500 km from el-Alamain to el-Salloum. Dubbed as the hope of Egypt, the project is meant to accommodate the expected increase in population in the 40 years to come (estimated to be 34 million people) in the area. The project is expected to provide 11 million jobs till 2052. Solar power plants will

be constructed to overcome the challenges of water scarcity and solve power problems. Egypt’s nuclear power plants will also play a role in that respect, as the country started to establish the “el-Dabaa” Power Plant. Moreover, renewable energy will be used for desalination. It is expected to cultivate some 148.000 feddans depending on ground water resources and the River Nile via el-Hammam Channel. The project also includes establishing some new cities like the new city of el-Alamain spanning over 18.000 feddans, 10 km to the coast.The “el-Mosalas el-Dhahabi” Project

El-Mosalas el-Dhahabi (The Golden Triangle) Project is located in Egypt’s Eastern Desert and serves as a new

lifeline for development in Egypt. It will help in the ongoing development process of Upper Egypt region via establishing commercial, industrial, agricultural, and mining projects. The project is located between the Red Sea cities of Safaga and el-Qusayer. The area is home to large gold mines whose production is expected to outnumber that of Egypt’s famous gold mine of el-Sukkary. The region is rich in the raw material of quartz from which silicon can be extracted. It is also abundant in gypsum, tantalum, iron, uranium, manganese, and phosphor, among other valuable raw materials. 160,000 new job opportunities created

Minister of Trade and Industry Tareq Qabil announced the establishment of Damietta Furniture City with an authorized capital of EGP 5 billion and issued capitals of EGP 521 millions, after the approval of General Authority for Investment (GAFI). The city which will be built on 331 acres makes a quantum leap in the furniture industry in Damietta, Qabil said during a joint press conference held to reveal the details of establishing the company and results of its first board meeting. The contributors of the new company include National Investment Bank, Damietta governorate, the General Authority for the Implementation of Industrial

faculties. The new capital, spanning over 700 square kilometers, will provide more than one and a half million job opportunities and will host five million people. The construction and infrastructure of the new Administrative Capital is proceeding in full swing. The cabinet announced that the government determines the importance of a project and the implementation

and Mining Projects as well as Ayady Egypt for industrial development, the minister added.

The planned city is to contribute to environment protection and the creation of some 100,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, he further noted.

Two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to establish the Furniture City in Damietta (191 km away from Cairo), have been signed between the Ministry of Housing, Fund of Social Development and Damietta governorate. The first MoU concerns building the city while the second to market the products.

The new city will include 150 factories, 2,000 furniture workshops on piece of land of 100,000 square meters Middle East, Damietta governor Ismail Abdel-Hamid Taha. Per this agreement, housing unities, built by the state, will be created with furniture; a buyer, if

wishes, will repay the cost of a furnished apartments in installments.

Planning Minister Ashraf el- Arabi announced that Ossama Saleh and Motaz Bahaa el Din were elected as head of the board of directors and executive and managing director of Damietta city for furniture, respectively. The announcement came during a meeting for the constituent assembly and the first meeting of the company’s board of directors. In a joint press conference, the minister said that the volume of investments of fiscal 2016-2017 plan reaches EGP 530 billion in which EGP 292 billion are invested via the private sector.

The government’s program asserts the importance of partnership between the private and public sectors, the minister further said, pointing out that Damietta city for furniture is considered one of the projects of the sustainable

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Damietta Furniture City, new capital for Egyptian craftsmanship

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development strategy – Egypt 2030.

Saudi Arabia has pledged 100 million pounds in grant for Egypt’s Social Fund for Development that will be available for the small manufacturers of the new furniture city in Damietta, Trade and Industry Minister said. Coordination is underway with the International Cooperation Ministry concerning the grant, Kabil told a press conference to announce the details of incorporating a company of the new furniture city. It is planned to complete the establishment of the new city within a year, during August or September 2017, the minister added.

A new natural gas discovery on the coast of Egypt’s Nile Delta has been made by Eni and British Petroleum (BP). The two companies own a 50-50 share of the Baltim South license, the area of the delta in which the “significant” discovery occurred, a statement by Eni said. Newest find

confirms potential of area estimated to hold 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas, says Italian energy firm Eni. The discovery in the Baltim southwest exploration prospect in the East Nile Delta is 10 kilometers north of the Nooros gas field which was discovered July last year and has a production rate of 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, the companies said. The new discovery “further confirms the significant potential of the so called Great Nooros Area, which is now estimated to hold 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas in place,” said Italy’s Eni, which through its subsidiary IEOC, holds a 50% stake in the licence of Baltim South. Britain’s BP holds the rest. Eni said the Baltim South find included gas-bearing rock with “excellent” reservoir properties 25 meters deep into the river delta.

Over the last year, several finds in the area have ramped up oil and natural gas investment.

The “super giant” Zohr discovery occurred August 2015. At the time, it represented the largest natural gas find in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Eni’s press release. Both finds – but especially Zohr – put Egypt on track to be energy independent in the next two years as they come online by the end of 2017. Zohr alone will produce the equivalent of 40 percent of Egypt total natural gas production based on 2015 rates. Following the announcements on the finds, Egypt decided it would produce the gas for domestic consumption and cut liquified natural gas imports in order to pave the way for cleaner energy consumption.Zohr Gas Reserves Estimates Rise to 32tcf

The discovery of a large gas-carrying layer at Zohr field’s second well, that was developed by Italian company Eni, has resulted in an increase of the field’s total gas reserves to 32tcf, compared

to a formerly estimated production volume of 30tcf. According to the initial test results at the concession area of Egypt’s territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea, the field was estimated to produce 150mcf/d, but now the production will increase to 250mcf/d. The first phase of the gas field’s development includes drilling six developmental wells and adding them to the production line by the end of 2017.

Petrobel CEO Atef Mohamed Hassan affirmed that Zohr has increased the nation’s whole natural gas production rate to 70% adding that thanks to the giant Zohr field, Egypt’s gas reserves have tripled over the last 30 years.National roads network, new lifelines for development

The National Roads Project is a large Egyptian infrastructure project initiated by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in August 2014. The project includes the construction of 39 new roadways with a total length of 4,400 km. The new road network accounts for around 10% of the total

length of all roads in Egypt. The project is expected to be completed within 2 years and cost 36 billion EGP. Among the planned roads are the Ismailia-Banha (33 km), the Sohag-Red Sea Road (180 km) and the Wadi al-Natrun-Alamein (134 km). Among the planned roads are the Ismailia-Banha 33-km road, the Sohag-Red Sea 180-km road and the Wadi al-Natrun-Alamein 134-km road. . The project began in the 2014-2015 fiscal year with 14 roads of 1,200 km at an investment of LE13 billion.The project aims at developing more than 4800 km, which represent 20.4 percent of the total roads and developing the surrounding areas. The project was achieved in two phases. The first phase includes the development of almost 3400 km, and was completed in September 2015. The remaining area will be completed before the end of 2016. This project will create new job opportunities, reduce the cost of transportation of goods, attract investments

and improve infrastructure and safety. This megaproject will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Strategy goal of creating new development axes that can support the state’s efforts in addressing urbanization issues. The project enhances infrastructure which in turn will increase economic growth rates, and will support building new urban societies.

Development of the 4th and 5th phases of the underground

The fourth phase of the underground is the line (Heliopolis – Cairo Airport) with a length of 15.8 km. It extends from Haron station to Cairo Airport and includes 10 stations. The duration of this project is 5 years with a total cost of LE 11 billion. The fifth phase of the underground is the line (Nasr City – Heliopolis – Sawah – Rood Al farg) with a length of 20 km, including 17 stations. The cost of the project is estimated to reach LE 14 billion. Work is currently in full swing in both lines.

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Significant new gas finds in Egypt

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After several years marked by turbulence and uncertainty, Egypt’s economy received two welcome boosts in 2015.

The first was the successful conclusion to the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC) in the first quarter of the year, which drew more than 70 senior executives from global firms, the leaders of major financial institutions such as the IMF’s Christine Lagarde, 15 heads of state, and the finance or foreign ministers of nations like Russia, the UK, the US and China, along with more than $72bn worth of commitments. The second was the successful passage of the 2015/16 budget, which builds upon delicate but necessary reforms to improve Egypt’s public finances.

The combination of the two – along with a range of efforts including new economic zones and power plants to improve industrial production and energy output, and a slate of public works projects including an expansion to the Suez Canal – means that Egypt is proceeding along an increasingly smooth road.

After expanding 2.2% in 2014, Egypt’s GDP grew 4% in 2015 and is forecast to grow 4.4% in 2016, according to the IMF. In its “World Economic Outlook” report released in April 2015, the IMF said that ,“Egypt’s macroeconomic stabilization plans and wide-ranging structural reforms were expected to increase confidence, and growth is expected to rise to 4% this year.”

Manufacturing is the largest contributor to Egypt’s economy, accounting for 17.3% of GDP in 2014/15 in constant prices, according to Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) data. As well as the refining of its petroleum products, Egypt has developed large

and well-resourced manufacturing industries in areas such as clothing, textiles, furniture, paper, cement and pharmaceuticals. Within the sector, fertiliser manufacturing represents one of the most prominent success stories, with the steady growth in this activity allowing the country to transform itself from a net importer of fertilizer to a net exporter. Elsewhere in the sector, textiles have driven growth, partly as a result of the Qualifying Industrial Zones agreement of 2004, by which Egyptian textile goods are granted tariff-free access to the US market.

Agriculture also still plays a central part in the economy, accounting for 15.6% of GDP in 2014/15. The sector, which includes irrigation and fisheries, grew at an average annual rate of 3.45% during the 1990s, accelerating to 4% in 2008/9 before dropping to 3% annual growth in the wake of the global economic crisis. Perhaps its most important economic function within the economy is as a provider of employment opportunities: according to the most recent UN data, in 2011 around 29.2% of the total labour market worked within the agricultural sector.

According to CBE data, Egypt’s extraction sector, including petroleum, gas and mining activity, is the third-largest contributor to GDP, accounting for 13.9% of the total in the 2014/15 financial year. BP’s “Statistical Review of World Energy 2015” shows that proven oil reserves were 3.9bn barrels in 1994 and fell to 3.6bn barrels as of the close of 2014. Natural gas reserves, discovered in 1967, stood at 65.2trn cubic feet as of the close of 2014, the third highest on the African continent behind Nigeria and Algeria.

Positive indicators for Egyptian economy following

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Wholesale and retail activity accounted for around 12.1% of GDP in 2014/15. Construction activity also continues to play an important part in economic activity, making up 4.6% of GDP in 2014/2015, driven by a young population’s demand for housing and the increasing number of commercial, hospitality and industrial projects. The same growth drivers have helped to propel the expansion of the real estate sector, which in 2014/15 accounted for 2.4% of GDP.

Egypt is a major exporter in a number of key segments, although the overall trade balance has remained in negative territory since 2004, as imports demanded by a rapidly expanding economy have outpaced export growth. In the 2014/15 financial year the trade deficit stood at LE284.4bn ($38.8bn). The nation has, however, established itself as a sizeable exporter of oil and other mineral products, chemicals, agricultural products, livestock and food products. Its most significant imports, many of which are primary imports that are later exported as manufactured goods, are mineral and chemical products, agricultural products, livestock and foodstuff, machinery and electrical equipment, and base metals.

New investment law

The EEDC in 2015 also provided a platform for the government to showcase a new investment law, ushered in just prior to the event. While not without its critics, the new law has made some important rationalizations to the Investment Law of 1997, the Companies Law of 1981, the Sales Tax Law of 1991 and the Income Tax Law of 2005. The broad ambition of the law is to attract new investments to Egypt by removing legislative obstacles, streamlining bureaucratic procedures and offering incentives and guarantees. To this end, sales tax and Customs duties have been trimmed, senior executives have been given protection from prosecution for actions taken without their knowledge, the bids and tendering process streamlined, exit procedures made more straightforward, the process by which state land is allocated clarified and greater provision made for the resolution of disputes between the investor and the state. The law also authorizes the General Authority for Investment to act as a one-stop shop at which investors in designated

sectors can obtain the licenses and approvals necessary to establish and run their businesses. Its introduction goes some way to improving Egypt’s general business environment .

27,000 megawatts to be added to national power grid by end of 2017

Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker said the current electricity generating capacity reaches 33,000 megawatts while the consumption hits about 29.000 megawatts, with a surplus of 4,000 megawatts. As part of the ongoing five-year plan, to end in 2017, the national power grid will be provided with 27,000 megawatts, including more than 14,000 megawatts from SIEMENS power plants.

In the Economic Development Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh in March 2015, the electricity sector was one of the biggest beneficiaries in terms of investments. Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), or initial agreements, were reached with companies such as Saudi’s ACWA Power, Dana Gas, Eni, Siemens, British Petroleum, and China State Grid. The concluded deals involve energy projects to build power plants fired by coal, natural gas and renewables. During his conference remarks, President el Sisi said that 13 GW of power were expected to come online in the near future, helping to close an energy gap that had led to frequent electricity cuts and hampered industrial production. Egypt is rolling out to have one of the most ambitious renewable energy programs in the Middle East and North African region, as it is seeking to meet surging domestic energy demand, while curbing its reliance on fossil fuel imports. As announced by the President, Egypt would seek to establish 4,300 MW wind and solar power generators during the 2015-2017 period. Egypt’s target is to create a specific energy mix by 2022 consisting of 13,500 MW of power generation capacity from renewable sources and 6,000 MW of nuclear power capacity. This is in addition to thermal electricity generation from gas and coal with the latter contributing with up to 20 MW to the intended capacity boost. The overall contribution of fossil fuels to the nation’s power supply would decline to about 40% in 2022, down from 94% in 2014.

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The first estate was built on an area of 65 feddans and includes 173 buildings. It was constructed by the ministries of housing and local development through a joint fund established for the development of slums. The second estate was funded by the “Long Live Egypt” Fund at a cost of LE700,000. It comprises 4,722 apartments in 140 buildings, . The Egyptian government under President Sisi has made a priority of eliminating slum areas that pose a threat to the lives of residents as the state plans to replace such areas with about 160,000 housing units at a cost of LE14 billion over two years. During the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Ismail Sherif referred to the Takaful and Karama (Solidarity and Dignity) Program, which aims to provide financial support to 1.5 million poor families across the country. He said the program has helped 706,000 families so far, with the rest being included through 2017 and 2018.

Housing Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed the importance of cooperation between the state

Around Tahrir Square, on January 25, 2011, millions of “Bread, freedom, social justice” chants filled the streets. After eighteen days of protest, a regime that had so persistently glued itself to presidency was over. However, two and a half years later, on June 30, 2013, even more millions flooded Tahrir Square again, ousting Muslim Brotherhood rule. Social justice has been at the heart of the revolutionary slogans chanted by millions of Egyptians. A new hope rises with the 2nd public revolution in Egypt for the people to demand a better way of life, Freedom and social justice and to go after their dreams. Egypt has always had a system of social pensions called “el damman el igtima’I” that provides monthly cash to applicants who are deemed eligibl. It is a system whereby certain categories of “poor” are covered by pensions. These categories include the chronically sick, the handicapped, the elderly, female heads of households, orphans, divorced or widowed women with children, families of conscripts and families of convicts who have a sentence that is longer than six months.

Sisi pledges to eliminate slums within two years

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has officially opened two new areas of purpose-built housing in the Moqattam area of Cairo that aim to replace several areas of sub-standard and dangerous housing in Cairo, including Duwaiqa, Establ Antar and Ezbet Khairallah. The two projects are part of the larger ”Hayy al-Asmarat” housing project, which comprises a total of 11,000 housing units, costing LE1.5 billion to build.

and NGOs in establishing housing projects like al-Asmarat. The problem of slums goes back to the late 1950s. The phenomenon was caused by problems in the laws on rents, the recession of the real-estate market, the internal migration from rural to urban areas, and the displacement of the residents of cities of the Suez Canal in 1967, the minister added. During the fiscal year 2016-2017, the government will focus on the redevelopment of 156 poor areas, providing improvements to homes for 340,000 people at a cost of LE6.25 billion, Madbouly said. The Housing Ministry plans to declare the

elimination of slum ares in six governorates, namely Alexandria, the Red Sea, Suez, Port Said, Matruh, and Aswan, according to Madbouly. In the following fiscal year (2017-2018) the ministry will continue its work, redeveloping 123 slum areas at a cost of LE5.25 billion, improving living conditions for 300,000 people, he said.

EGP 310m spent on Karama and Takaful programs

Around EGP 310m were spent on the Karama and Takaful programs which were launched by the Ministry of Social Solidarity last year, Minister Ghada Wali said. New geographical maps were created to identify where the poor are stated and the government was able to identify the 19 poorest areas, Wali mentioned. “We launched the Karama and Takafol programs and we have successfully registered 210,000 families and 802,000 citizens,” the minister said. Both programs launched monthly financial support to those in need.

Karama offers financial support to elders and those with physical disabilities while Takaful offers financial support to mothers, on the condition that they follow a number of requirements. “Mothers must make sure their children are present at school with an attendance rate of 80% or higher,” Wali said, explaining that “parents are given EGP 60 for each child in primary school, EGP 80 is offered to those in middle school while EGP 100 is given to high school students”.

Mothers with new-borns are also registered in the Takaful program, but they have to make sure

their children receive all necessary vaccinations and visit the clinic at least twice a year.

Karama and Takaful in EgyptCash transfer programmes like “Karama and

Takaful” can partially eliminate poverty in Egypt. The government of Egypt launched two new social pension/transfer programmes in December 2014. Karama (dignity) and Takaful (mutual support or welfare) are both objectively targeted cash transfers that aim to increase the consumption of individuals and families living in poverty. Karama provides the elderly and the severely handicapped with a monthly stipend of LE320 per beneficiary. Takaful is for families with children living in poverty and is a conditional cash transfer that is given four times a year to help families provide for their children. Takaful provides a LE320 base pension with increments per child ranging from LE60 to LE100 depending on the age of the child. Both rely on the use of a proxy means testing formula (PMT) that identifies poverty without recourse to questions on income or expenditure. The Ministry of Finance developed in 2014 this PMT formula and procedures on the basis of household income expenditure data and poverty maps. The benefits are managed by the Ministry of Social Solidarity and rely on its staff and experts for enrolment and registration, validation, supervision and management of both programmes and their valuable databases. Actual dispersal of funds is through ATMs for which beneficiaries have smart cards issued by a specialised financial services provider.

World Bank lauds Egypt’s subsidized bread, commodities’ systems

The World Bank praised Egypt’s experience in applying subsidized bread and commodities’ systems. A statement by the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade said the systems come as part of the sustainable development strategy 2030. The systems also help the Egyptian state offer a direct social remedy and achieve economic reforms through a first-of-its-kind and modern direct financial support, the statement added. The WB considered both systems as models in the subsidies’ field and decided to make use of them in supporting other countries, according to Supply and Internal Trade Minister Khaled Hanafi.

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New hopes arise for Social Justice

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The Armed Forces stepped up alertness to help the Interior Ministry secure vital targets in the state and secure celebrations

held in public squares nationwide marking the third anniversary of the 30 June revolution. The Egyptian Navy staged sea performances with launches and speedboats off the shores of Alexandria on the occasion. The Air Force also organized air shows in the skies of Greater Cairo and other governorates. Military bands played patriotic songs in several squares nationwide souvenirs and flags were handed

out to celebrating crowds. The day has been declared a national holiday, with public and private-sector employees and banks given the day off. All museums admitted locals and foreigners free of charge for the day.

On 30 June 2013, millions of citizens took to the streets to protest the rule of Mohamed Morsi, who was elected one year earlier. Morsi was removed from office on 3 July before facing trial on various charges and has been incarcerated ever since.

Egypt celebrates

anniversary with air, naval shows

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*January 2014 Egyptians vote in a referendum on the new constitution. Voters overwhelmingly approve Egypt’s new constitution, with 98.1% voting “Yes”. The turnout among eligible voters was 38.6%.*June 2014President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi wins elections in a three-day ballot, securing 96.9% of the vote, with 47.4% voter turnout, after running against Hamdeen Sabahy, leader of the Popular Current.*August 2014President Al-Sisi announces a new Suez Canal project to dig a 72-kilometre canal alongside the original, to be ready in a year. The project is funded through granting investment certificates to the public, and in eight days, more than EGP 60bn are collected.*March 2015EGYPT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE HELD IN SHARM EL-SHEIKHEgypt held a heavily publicized Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh on March 13-15. The conference was attended by over 1,700 investors, government officials and experts, including high profile names like Tony Blair and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde. During the first two days of the conference Egypt signed investment deals worth more than $138 billion and the countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates promised to donate an additional $12 million to help stabilize the country’s economy.*August 2015Egypt launches Suez Canal expansion. Egypt has opened a major expansion of the Suez Canal, which deepens the main waterway and provides ships with a 35km (22 mile) channel parallel to it. World leaders, including officials from Arab nations such as King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Western countries such as French President Francois Hollande, attended the event.*September 2015MASSIVE GAS FIELD DISCOVEREDItaly’s Eni discovered a massive gas field (at least 30 trillion cubic feet of gas) that could translate into around $48 billion of revenue for the government after Eni’s share is accounted for. The field lies off of Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. It is pegged to see investments worth $6 billion to $10 billion for its development and is expected to satisfy Egypt’s domestic demand for gas for at least the coming decade.*October 2015EGYPT WINS NON-PERMANENT SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIPEgypt won a two-year, non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in October, with 179 of the 193 UN member states voting in favor of its membership. Africa is traditionally allocated two non-permanent seats on the council. Senegal won the second seat with 187 votes.*January 2016Egypt holds first parliament in more than three years. Egypt Receives Three New French Rafale Fighter Jets.*Jun 2016Egypt receives first of two French Mistral warships.

2014-2016 In Review: The Most Important Events in 3 years