Egypt Politics & Government

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  Two years ago nationalism sparked massive protests in Egypt. Could it happen again?

  Earlier this month, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi won reelection with a sweeping of the vote, in what was widely considered a sham election. Overall participation was only 41 percent of registered voters, falling short of the 47 percent four years ago. The low turnout was effectively a gauge of the faltering popular support for the nationalist policies of Sissi, whose campaign centered on his ability to safeguard security and stability   Read More ...

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  Trump congratulates Egypt's Sisi in call, affirms strategic partnership

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on his re-election in a phone call on Monday and reaffirmed the U.S. strategic partnership with Egypt, the White House said. Sisi, who had no real opposition, was elected with 97 percent of the vote, official returns showed. The White House said in a statement that Trump congratulated the Egyptian president and "the two leaders affirmed the strategic partnership between the United States and Egypt   Read More ...

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  Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi wins re-election with 97% of vote

  CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has won a second, four-year term in office, with more than 97% of the vote in last week’s election, according to official results announced Monday by the election commission, which put turnout at 41.05%. El-Sissi faced no serious challenger in the March 26-28 vote, after a string of potentially strong candidates withdrew under pressure or were arrested   Read More ...

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  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi wins 97 per cent in election with no real opposition

  CAIRO (REUTERS) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected with 97 per cent of votes, the same proportion that the former military commander secured four years ago for his first term, official results showed on Monday (April 2). However, turnout was lower at 41 per cent, despite efforts to get as many Egyptians as possible to polling stations during last week's vote   Read More ...

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  Egypt's Sisi re-elected with 97 percent of votes, turnout 41 percent - election commission

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been re-elected with 97 percent of votes, the exact proportion that brought the former military commander his first term four years ago, Egypt's election commission announced on Monday. However, turnout in last week's election was lower than in 2014, at 41 percent. Sisi had long been virtually guaranteed victory after all serious opposition pulled out of the contest earlier this year   Read More ...

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  Egyptian media say election turnout was around 40 percent

  CAIRO (AP) -- The initial results of Egypt's presidential election show a landslide win for President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who faced no serious challenge, and a turnout hovering around 40 percent, pro-government media reported Thursday Counting began after polls closed late Wednesday, wrapping up three days of voting. Egyptian authorities went to great lengths to bolster turnout in a bid to give the election legitimacy   Read More ...

• Egyptians in Sinai queue for bread, not ballots

  CAIRO (Reuters) - As some voters in mainland Egypt chanted praise for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi outside polling stations on their way to re-elect him, residents of the restive northern Sinai Peninsula lined up for a different reason - bread handouts. A military campaign in North Sinai that aims to crush Islamic State militants has blocked most access to the peninsula as forces carry out air raids, deploy patrols and impose curfews, creating a stranglehold that has led to a shortage of food and supplies, locals say   Read More ...

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  Egypt heads to polls to choose between Sisi and 'rival'

  Cairo, Egypt | AFP |Egyptians headed to the polls Monday in a presidential election to choose between incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and a little-known politician who has struggled to make the case he is a serious contender. Polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT) for the three-day vote, in which Sisi is all but guaranteed to win a second four-year term   Read More ...

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  Egypt election begins with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi certain winner

  CAIRO — Polls opened on Monday in Egypt’s presidential election with the outcome — a second term for President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi — a foregone conclusion. A general-turned-President, el-Sissi is challenged by Moussa Mustafa Moussa, a little known politician who joined the race in the last minute to spare the government the embarrassment of a one-candidate election. Moussa has made no effort to challenge el-Sissi, who never mentioned his challenger once in public   Read More ...

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  Egyptians Head to the Polls, but They Don't Have Much of a Choice

  (CAIRO) — Polls opened on Monday in Egypt’s presidential election with the outcome — a second, four-year term for President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi — a foregone conclusion, in what is seen by critics as a signal of the country’s return to the authoritarian rule that prevailed since the 1950s. A general-turned-president, el-Sissi is challenged by Moussa Mustafa Moussa, a little known politician who joined the race in the last minute to spare the government the embarrassment of a one-candidate election after several hopefuls were forced out of the race or arrested   Read More ...

• Egypt heads to polls to choose between Sisi and 'rival'

  Egyptians vote in a presidential election Monday to choose between incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and a little-known candidate who has struggled to make the case he is not Sisi's minion. Polling stations open March 26 (today) for the three-day vote in which Sisi is all but guaranteed to win a second four-year term. Security will be tight across the country. The Islamic State group's Egyptian affiliate, which has killed hundreds of soldiers and civilians, has threatened attacks on election-related installations   Read More ...

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  Egypt's Sisi visits Sinai ahead of poll, says militants almost defeated

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Friday that militants in the Sinai Peninsula would soon be defeated as he visited troops there days ahead of an election that is set to grant him a second term, state news agency MENA reported. Polls will open on Monday when voters choose between Sisi and one little-known candidate who supports the former field marshal   Read More ...

• Museveni's former aide to head COMESA’s Egypt election observer

  Kampala- President Museveni’s former spokesperson Hope Kivengere has been selected by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to head its team to observe Egypt’s presidential elections later this month. Egyptians go to polls on March 26-28 in what the current president Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who is seeking another term, is almost assured of victory after would-be strong challengers were jailed or withdrew from the race   Read More ...

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  Egyptians who took part in Arab Spring say voting useless

  CAIRO: As banners supporting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's bid for a second term fill Cairo's streets, some who participated in the 2011 democratic uprising say they will boycott this month's "predetermined" elections. "It's been a downwards slippery slope since the last presidential elections (in 2014): nothing is improving," said Sami, who took part in the January 2011 uprising which toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak   Read More ...

• Egyptians who took part in Arab Spring say voting useless

  As banners supporting Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's bid for a second term fill Cairo's streets, some who participated in the 2011 democratic uprising say they will boycott this month's "predetermined" elections. "It's been a downwards slippery slope since the last presidential elections (in 2014): nothing is improving," said Sami, who took part in the January 2011 uprising which toppled longtime president Hosni Mubarak   Read More ...

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  Egypt's foreign minister arrives in Juba

  Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry has arrived in the South Sudanese capital Juba today morning in a visit that aims to boost bilateral cooperation and discuss a number of regional matters. The visiting official was received at Juba Airport by the Minister in the Officer of the President Mayiik Ayii Deng. The Egyptian foreign minister is scheduled to meet several top South Sudanese officials, including President Salva Kiir, and will engage in talks with the national dialogue committee, which Egypt is keen on supporting   Read More ...

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  In Egypt, the opposition is calling for a boycott of this month's election. Will it work?

  Later this month, Egyptians will go to the polls to reelect Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to his second term as president. An all too familiar scenario is playing out: Sissi is the only viable candidate. His sole challenger, Mousa Mostafa Mousa, is the head of a party that had endorsed Sissi before entering its own candidate at the last minute. Other potential challengers were threatened, intimidated or arrested into withdrawing   Read More ...

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  In Egypt’s presidential election, a strongman’s only challenger is barely campaigning

  CAIRO — The election billboards of President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi are everywhere in this bustling capital. They read: “Yalla Sissi” — “Go Sissi” in Arabic — urging him on for a second term. Egyptian voters will struggle to find a billboard for his only challenger. That obscure candidate, after all, said weeks ago that he wants Sissi to remain as president   Read More ...

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  Egyptian foreign minister to visit South Sudan

  Juba/Cairo, March 11, 2018 (SSNA) — Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Hassan Shoukr, is scheduled to visit Juba tomorrow (Monday) where he will discuss unspecified east African regional matters South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, according to Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid. Ahmed said the Egyptian minister will also meet with expected to meet with Kiir’s advisor, Nhial Deng Nhial, and South Sudan national dialogue committee to further discuss bilateral cooperation and other issues important to the dialogue team   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince meets Egypt's Coptic Pope in Cairo

  (5 Mar 2018) Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Egypt's Coptic Pope Tawadros II in Cairo on Monday, the first visit by a Saudi official to the spiritual centre of the country's Orthodox Christian community. At Cairo's St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic pope, bin Salman shook hands with church officials and posed for a picture with Tawadros. It is the first trip abroad for the 32-year-old Salman since he became heir to the Saudi throne, and the trip is indicative of the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries. Salman also visited the Suez Canal on Monday, and held talks with religious authorities at Al-Azhar, Egypt's top Islamic authority   Read More ...

• Egypt's inflation declines ahead of election

  CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's central bank says inflation dropped to 14.4 percent in February from 17 percent the month before, continuing a decline since it peaked last summer. Inflation surged beginning in 2016 after President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government slashed subsidies and floated the currency, austerity measures needed to secure a $12 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Those actions caused the price of basic goods to spike, and took a heavy toll on poor and middle-class Egyptians   Read More ...

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  U.N. rights chief denounces 'climate of intimidation' in Egypt before vote

  GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief said on Wednesday there was a “pervasive climate of intimidation” in Egypt in the run-up to this month’s presidential elections marked by arrests, torture of detainees and “silencing” of independent media. In Cairo, Egypt’s foreign ministry dismissed the comments as “baseless allegations”. “The foreign ministry calls on the High Commissioner for Human Rights to stop attacking the Egyptian state without any right, and to instead adopt a professional and objective approach, and pay attention to the progress achieved in the area of democratisation,” the statement said   Read More ...

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  U.N. rights chief denounces repressive climate in Egypt ahead of poll

  GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief on Wednesday decried a “pervasive climate of intimidation” in Egypt ahead of presidential elections this month that he said has been marked by arrests, torture of detainees and “silencing” of independent media. Egypt has stepped up a crackdown on media outlets it deems to be publishing reports which might harm national security, as the country approaches an election where President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is virtually guaranteed a second term, and the military fights to crush Islamic State militants in the Sinai Peninsula   Read More ...

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  U.N. rights chief denounces repressive climate in Egypt ahead of poll

  GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief on Wednesday decried a "pervasive climate of intimidation" in Egypt ahead of presidential elections this month that he said has been marked by arrests, torture of detainees and "silencing" of independent media. Egypt has stepped up a crackdown on media outlets it deems to be publishing reports which might harm national security, as the country approaches an election where President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is virtually guaranteed a second term, and the military fights to crush Islamic State militants in the Sinai Peninsula   Read More ...

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  Egypt: Saudi Crown Prince meets Coptic Pope Tawadros II in Cairo

  audi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman arrived at the St. Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo on Monday to meet the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II. Pope Tawadros stated that Crown Prince Bin Salman had expressed his great appreciation to the Copts and invited all Coptic Orthodox clergymen to visit Saudi Arabia. The unprecedented visit by a Saudi official to the spiritual centre of Egypt's Orthodox Christian community was part of Bin Salman’s three-day visit to Egypt. It is his first public trip abroad since he was appointed Crown Prince last June. On Wednesday, Bin Salman will visit Britain and speak with British Prime Minister Theresa May   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince visits Cairo Coptic cathedral, meets pope

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Coptic Pope Tawadros II at Cairo’s largest Coptic cathedral on Monday in what state media said was an unprecedented visit by an official from the conservative Muslim kingdom. The visit was part of a three-day stay in Egypt for Prince Mohammed, his first public trip abroad since he became heir apparent last year   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince discusses economy on Egypt trip

  CAIRO: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continued a visit to Egypt on Monday focused on economic cooperation, with Riyadh agreeing to a US$10 billion (RM39.1 billion) investment with Cairo for a futuristic mega city project. Sisi ratified the deal last year, and Egypt's top court annulled lower court rulings for and against the treaty on the eve of the crown Prince's arrival   Read More ...

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  Donald Trump discusses situation in Syria with Egypt Prez Al Sisi over phone

  US President Donald Trump today discussed the situation in war-torn Syria with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the White House said, with the two leaders airing concerns over "irresponsible" support of Russia and Iran to the brutal attacks on innocent civilians by the Bashar al-Assad's regime. The two leaders also discussed, over phone, opportunities to enhance the American-Egyptian partnership on a range of security and economic issues, and agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the White House said   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince meets Egypt's Sisi on first public trip

  CAIRO: Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday, on his first public trip abroad since he became crown prince last year and purged the kingdom's political and economic elite. Egypt and Saudi have strengthened ties since Sisi took power after ousting the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. The countries signed agreements to "activate" a 60 billion Saudi riyal (£11   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince meets Egypt's Sisi on first public trip

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Bin Salman met President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Sunday, on his first public trip abroad since he became crown prince last year and purged the kingdom's political and economic elite. Egypt and Saudi have strengthened ties since Sisi took power after ousting the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. The countries signed agreements to "activate" a 60 billion Saudi riyal (£11   Read More ...

• Saudi's powerful crown prince visits Egypt

  CAIRO – Saudi Arabia's powerful crown Prince has arrived in Egypt for a visit meant to deepen the alliance between two of the region's powerhouses. Soon after Prince Mohammed bin Salman touched down in Cairo Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's office also said "regional issues" and Egypt's fight against Islamic militants were discussed by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump. Saudi Arabia has given generous financial and political support to el-Sissi since he led the 2013 military ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi   Read More ...

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  Saudi crown prince lands in Egypt on first public trip

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman arrived in Egypt on Sunday, Cairo airport sources said, on his first public trip abroad since he became crown prince last year and purged the country’s political and economic elite in an anti-corruption drive. He will head for Britain on March 7, and then the United States, Riyadh’s closest Western ally, later in the month   Read More ...

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  Foreign press comes under fire in run-up to Egypt’s election

  Now her story is the heart of a campaign of anger directed at what activists say is “media warfare” directed against the Egyptian state by foreign press in the run-up to the election later this month. The story of Younis is the most prominent among several cases that rocked Egypt late last month. BBC published “The Shadow over Egypt: Looking for the disappeared” on February 23   Read More ...

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  Sudan to return ambassador to Cairo: foreign minister

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudan will send its ambassador back to neighboring Egypt on Monday, Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said, two months after withdrawing him amid heightened tensions. Khartoum has not explained why it recalled Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Halim early in January. But disputes over the ownership of the Halayeb  Triangle border area and Egyptian suspicion of a Sudan-Turkey naval agreement have strained ties   Read More ...

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  Media under official scrutiny ahead of Egypt poll

  CAIRO, Egypt — Media in Egypt faces increased scrutiny and restrictions by authorities ahead of a presidential election this month incumbent Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will dominate, critics say. The president, addressing media, warned on Thursday against “defamation” of security forces, a day after his prosecution warned it would take legal action against “false news.” Egypt ranks 161 out of 180 countries in press freedoms according to watchdog Reporters Without Borders’ 2017 Press Freedoms Index   Read More ...

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  Saudi Crown Prince to visit Egypt

  Cairo: Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Bin Salman is to visit Egypt in his first public foreign trip since becoming crown prince last year, an Egyptian official and Cairo airport sources said on Friday. The visit, in the coming days, comes before he travels to London on March 7 and the United States, Riyadh’s closest Western ally, on March 19. Mohammad led a crackdown on corruption last year, after becoming crown prince in June   Read More ...

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  Saudi Crown Prince to visit Egypt

  CAIRO - Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman is to visit Egypt in his first public foreign trip since becoming crown prince last year, an Egyptian official and Cairo airport sources said on Friday. The visit, in the coming days, comes before he travels to London on March 7 and the United States, Riyadh's closest Western ally, on March 19. Bin Salman purged the Gulf Arab kingdom's economic and political elite in a crackdown on corruption last year, after becoming crown prince in June   Read More ...

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  Saudi Crown Prince to visit Egypt: official, airport sources

  CAIRO (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman is to visit Egypt in his first public foreign trip since becoming crown prince last year, an Egyptian official and Cairo airport sources said on Friday. The visit, in the coming days, comes before he travels to London on March 7 and the United States, Riyadh’s closest Western ally, on March 19. Bin Salman purged the Gulf Arab kingdom’s economic and political elite in a crackdown on corruption last year, after becoming crown prince in June   Read More ...

• Saudi crown prince to visit Egypt ahead of US, Britain tour

  RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman will visit Egypt on Sunday on his first foreign tour as heir to the throne, a government source told AFP. The crown Prince is expected in Britain next Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May and in the United States from March 19 to 22. The two-day visit to Cairo also comes ahead of Egypt's presidential polls, scheduled for late March, with incumbent Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expected to win a second four-year term   Read More ...

• Egypt freezes assets of leading government critic

  Cairo - Egypt has frozen the assets of leading government critic Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, arrested earlier this month over alleged links to exiled members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the prosecution said on Sunday. His February 14 arrest came after he joined a call for a boycott of a presidential election next month that the incumbent, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is expected to win easily after most rivals were sidelined or withdrew   Read More ...