Sisi issues decree to establish committee counters sectarian strife

CAIRO – 30 December 2018: Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi issued a decree on Sunday to establish a Supreme committee to counter sectarian strife.

The committee will be chaired by the presidential advisor for security affairs and will include representatives of the armed forces' operations authority, the military and general intelligence departments, the Administrative Control Authority and the national security agency.

The Coptic Orthodox Church spokesperson, Fr Boulos Halim, said that the Presidential decree is a significant step on the right track to withstand sectarianism and extremism in Egypt.

“The decree will encourage all the State’s institutions to fight terrorism and will create a positive reaction within the Egyptian street,” said Halim in a press statement.

Halim added that the committee would contribute in building the Egyptian awareness, regaining the Egyptian image that was acknowledged as an example of tolerance and peaceful coexistence since the dawn of history.

The committee will set a strategy to counter sectarian incidents when taking place, it will as well periodically report to the president its latest calls to tackle such incidents countrywide. The committee is allowed to summon whomever of the cabinet’s officials to its meetings.