Egypt's PM applauds Sisi's visit to France to enhance economic ties, his messages on human rights during presser

CAIRO – 8 December 2020: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly applauded President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s press conference with his French counterpart, citing the “messages” he sent from Paris.

In a Tuesday meeting with the Cabinet, Madbouly said the visit plays a role in enhancing relations between the two countries and the European Union, furthering their ties to wider horizons.

He praised Sisi’s messages about human rights and the crises witnessed in the region, as well as Egypt’s efforts to build a better future for its people.

The two leaders on Monday said they agreed on many topics regarding Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean, and more French investments in Egypt.

Sisi also highlighted the issues on which he disagrees with Macron.

The first journalist question posed at the press conference was that if Macron would set conditions pertaining to human rights in Egypt before signing any arm deals.

In response, Sisi said there are 55,000 licensed NGOs in Egypt and they are vital in the work of the government, wondering how many of them complained about inability to work. He rejected the presentation of the Egyptian leadership as a “tyranny.”

“It is not OK to present the Egyptian state, with all that it does for the Egyptian people and the stability of the region, as a tyranny. This is long gone… There are more than 65 million youths in Egypt who cannot be shackled and on whom you cannot impose a regime,” the president added.

He continued that the government is required to fight an extremist group that has existed in Egypt for 90 years and has established grassroots in the entire world during those decades.

He said he is required to protect the 100 million Egyptians from such groups, saying those asking questions such as these should think of what is happening in Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

“We have nothing to be afraid of and nothing that embarrasses us. We are a nation that fights to build a future for its people amid exceptionally cruel circumstances in a very turbulent region,” he concluded.