Skip to main content

Egypt’s Sisi, facing online backlash, says country is on the ‘right track’

egypt

CAIRO: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Saturday Egypt was on the “right track” to rebuild its economy after years of instability that had nearly brought the country to its knees.

Speaking on the anniversary of 2013 mass protests that helped propel him into power, Sisi said Egypt had faced challenges, including political instability, armed insurgency and an economic meltdown since 2011 protests forced President Hosni Mubarak from power after more than 30 years in office.

“I tell you in all objectivity, every Egyptian man and woman is entitled to feel proud for what his country has achieved in facing the three challenges, and in record time,” Sisi said in a televised speech.

Sisi, who was elected for a second term in March, has been pushing ahead with economic reforms required under a three-year, $12 billion IMF loan that have left many of Egypt’s 100 million people struggling to make ends meet.

Spurred by the painful reforms, an online campaign calling for Sisi to step down has gathered momentum in recent weeks.

“The results that have been achieved until now indicate we are on the right path,” Sisi said, citing positive economic indicators, including a record $44 billion in foreign reserves and economic growth of 5.4 percent.

Human rights groups accuse Sisi of presiding over a crackdown on dissent as he pushes ahead with the reforms, that have included raising prices for fuel, electricity and public transportation.

READ MORE: From war room to boardroom: Military firms flourish in Sisi’s Egypt

The Egyptian military and security forces, under Sisi’s orders, have been conducting a major operation in Sinai this year, trying to crush militants behind a wave of attacks that had killed hundreds.

Analysts say the reforms have eroded his once soaring popularity, but to what extent is hard to gauge since scores of websites have been banned in the past year and opponents rounded up, often on charges of spreading fake news.

In an unprecedented show of digital dissent, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have taken to Twitter in recent weeks, to voice their discontent and call for Sisi to step down.

The hashtag campaign that translates roughly to #Sisi_leave gathered strength after the government announced the fuel and electricity subsidy cuts.

But in his speech on Saturday, Sisi said Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, could not afford to put off implementing the reforms even if they cause pain.

“It is without a doubt that the road to true reform is difficult and cruel and that it causes much suffering, but it is also without a doubt that the suffering which comes from the lack of reform if much greater,” Sisi said.

The post Egypt’s Sisi, facing online backlash, says country is on the ‘right track’ appeared first on ARYNEWS.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Police arrest another suspect in Rimsha Wassan murder case

KHAIRPUR: Police on Tuesday arrested another suspect in Rimsha Wassan murder case during a raid in Khairpur, ARY News reported. Police said suspect Hidayatullah was arrested during the raid and weapons were recovered from his possession. They said the arrested suspect was a close aide of Zulfiqar Wassan, Sabir Wassan and Abdul Ghaffar. “The suspect will be produced before the Anti-Terrorism Court for remand,” said police. On March 19, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had extended the remand of three suspects in Rimsha murder case for three more days for further investigations. Hearing the Rimsha murder case, the court, on the request of police, had decided to extend the physical remand of the suspects for three more days. Read More:  ATC extends suspects’ remand in Rimsha murder case According to the details, police had produced the prime suspect, Zulfiqar Wassan alias Zulfoo , his associates nominated in the case, Ghaffar Wassan and Sabir Wassan before the court amid strict se...

Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir are already sending out wedding invites

Pakistan’s hot favourite celebrity couple Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir are all set to tie the knot soon.  The pair has already started sending out wedding invitations to friends and family as fans eagerly wait for one of the biggest celebrity weddings of the year. The actors invited British Deputy High Commissioner, Mike Nithavrianakis, to their big day, who took to Twitter to share that it was wonderful meeting them. Thank you! Hope to see you at the wedding @MikeNith1 https://t.co/YtOOYBJuhq — Sajal Ali (@Iamsajalali) February 28, 2020 “They’ve been ‘married’ on-screen several times. Now for the real deal. Best wishes to them both,” he wrote. The Mom actress thanked him and said “Hope to see you at the wedding.” Earlier, a photo of a cake which had ‘Ahad aur Sajal ki dholki’ written over it went viral. The lovebirds got engaged in July last year after dating for a while. The post Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir are already sending out wedding invites appeared first on...

India’s coronavirus cases rise by a daily record of 55,078

BENGALURU: India reported another record surge in daily COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the total to 1.64 million, as the government further eases virus curbs in a bid to resuscitate the economy, while also trying to increase testing. Infections jumped by 55,078 in the past 24 hours, while the death toll rose by 779 to 35,747, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on its website. The ministry also said it aimed to raise the country’s capacity to 1 million coronavirus tests per day in the medium term, from a record 600,000 on Friday. The federal government this week announced the reopening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums, and removed restrictions on the movement of people and goods. The post India’s coronavirus cases rise by a daily record of 55,078 appeared first on ARY NEWS .