U.S. congressional delegation to discuss Egyptian NGO law

CAIRO – 27 June 2017: A delegation of U.S. members of Congress will visit Egypt in July in response to an invitation made by the Egyptian parliamentary delegation which visited Washington on June 10, head of parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Ahmed Said said on Tuesday.

During the visit, U.S. and Egyptian parliamentarians will discuss several topics, primarily the new NGO law approved by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in late May.

This follows the criticism of a number of U.S. senators and members of Congress of Article No. 80 of the new law concerning NGOs’ funds which states a requirement for tax payment on civil organizations’ activities.

“A detailed memorandum, explaining Article No. 80 of the NGO law stipulating that 1% of any financial grant should go to the government, will be submitted to the U.S. congressional delegation via the Egyptian diplomatic missions abroad,” Abdel Hadi al-Qasabi head of parliament’s Solidarity Committee said.

Said told Egypt Today that “Only the Egyptian House of Representatives is authorized to amend the NGO law. Law articles are not sacred, so they can be amended; this is not to get American blessing, but to promote a stronger civil society.”