NGOs law inclusive, empowering: FM

CAIRO - 1 June 2017: Egypt’s newly adopted NGOs law aims to include all organizations under a “single legal umbrella,” and to empower the civil society, according to a Thursday Foreign Ministry statement.

Exercising its constitutional rights, the Parliament passed the law by a large majority after setting its articles in a fashion that allows the registration of NGOs by notification. Certain regulations have also been set for funding to perpetuate transparency and rule of law, with “no intention to restrict” the work of NGOs, the statement said.

Meanwhile, there are articles in the law that support the civil society though providing the needed resources for it, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zeid said.

He added that the Egyptian government is committed to enhancing the position of the civil society as an active partner in development and democratic transition.

He also warned that some NGOs that are accustomed to working outside the legal framework will try to defame the image of the civil society in Egypt, as the law harms their interests.

Some 50,000 NGOs work freely and transparently under the current laws and regulations, Abu Zeid said.

The statement comes after three U.S. Republican senators and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights criticized the NGOs law.