Great expectations

With General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi sworn in as president last week, many people are questioning what his term will hold for Egypt. On Monday the Woodrow Wilson Center hosted “What to Expect from the al-Sisi Presidency” to discuss the growing array of political and economic challenges that al-Sisi faces. Moushira Khattab, former Public Policy Scholar and former Ambassador of Egypt to South Africa, Marina Ottaway, senior scholar at the Wilson Center, and Emad El-Din Shahin, Public Policy professor at the American University in Cairo, shared their opinions as to how the new Egyptian president will respond to the tumultuous atmosphere.

President al-Sisi stated in his inauguration speech that there were many issues he sought to address in the coming years. In particular, political reconciliation is a pressing issue due to systematic political exclusion and violence.

Moushira Khattab contended that it is vital to national stability for al-Sisi to present himself as a leader of all Egyptians because political reconciliation is the only way the nation can progress. He should use his current popular support and practice inclusiveness in the broadest sense, bridging the current divisions between the state and the Muslim Brotherhood. Even with the trials of Muslim Brotherhood members approaching, al-Sisi should be looking to mend the rift and assist with the mediation led by the EU and Gulf States.

For the economy, President al-Sisi has been vague in his promises. The failing economy is a ticking time bomb for Egypt and al-Sisi has made a point not to detail how he is going to tackle it. Ottaway said that the Egyptian people are impatiently awaiting the president’s and the cabinet’s response to the ongoing energy crisis. Last week, al-Sisi emphasized the need to reduce oil consumption by using different means of transportation; however, he did not address the question of lowering energy subsidies.  It is vital for al-Sisi to balance the pressing needs of the masses with the scarce energy resources and current state of the economy in a transparent manner.

Al-Sisi should also incentivize the return of foreign direct investment across all sectors of the Egyptian economy. This is pivotal to revamp existing businesses and boost production to provide jobs for unemployed youth. With the return of foreign direct investment, Ottaway predicts an economic restoration process that will in turn assist in bringing tourism back to Egypt. This ultimately will push al-Sisi to seek political as well as economic inclusiveness.

According to Emad El-Din Shahin, the president will need to appeal directly to various factions of the population in order to gain popular support for his political and economic agenda. In his first week, he visited a female victim of sexual violence in Tahrir Square. This was the first time that an Egyptian president made a direct effort to apologize and take a strong stance on harassment. President al-Sisi ultimately must make it clear that all human rights—whether they be social, economic, political, or cultural—are a top priority without any discrimination.

Egyptian youth pose a great challenge for the president. His youth support is fading, especially as they have seen their own power in standing up against past leaders. They are desperate for jobs, opportunities, and a better quality of life.  It is questionable whether they will be able to exercise patience in awaiting his plans as president.

The situation in Egypt is still tense.  People are unsure of what the future holds for the country. The Egyptian masses have high expectations for the president.  They will not stand for a leader who does not swiftly address the pressing needs of the country.