Egyptian presidency initiates process for political dialogue

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called on the country’s political parties for a comprehensive dialogue, the first since he took power in 2014.

An Egyptian political affairs expert told Anadolu Agency that the dialogue will include the Salafist Islamist groups and supporters of the regime, but excludes any from the Muslim Brotherhood group, which was outlawed by the Egyptian authorities after its ouster from power in 2013.

The call by the Egyptian presidency came a few hours after an Egyptian court ruled to keep the Muslim Brotherhood on the Egyptian terror list for a further five years.

A rare invitation

During the annual “Egyptian Family Iftar” banquet in Cairo on Tuesday, Al-Sisi made his invitation, where he called on all political powers to carry out a comprehensive political dialogue for a national plan of action.

Al-Sisi urged the parties to submit their recommendations to him personally and promised to attend the final phases of the dialogue.

“The nation [Egypt] accommodates all, and differences of opinion do not spoil the nation’s cause,” al-Sisi said.

He added that the dialogue’s recommendations would be submitted to the Egyptian parliament about the possibility of drafting new laws or amending existing ones.

Among the attendees at the “Egyptian Family Iftar” banquet were figures who had been absent from recent formal occasions, including former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi and political activist Khaled Dawoud, who was released from detention a few months ago, and film director and writer Khaled Youssef.

Sabahi said he spoke with al-Sisi on the release of opinion prisoners.

Two opposition members, human rights lawyer Tarek el-Awady and former Egyptian manpower minister Kamal Abu Eita, were included in the Presidential Pardon Committee.

Under the direction of al-Sisi, a National Training Academy has been formed which is expected to host several meetings between members of the various political and youth forces to develop a national ideas agenda to deal with all pressing issues in Egypt.

Who will attend?

Egyptian political science professor Khairy Omar told Anadolu Agency that all forces and groups that support the Egyptian regime would attend the dialogue, including the Islamist Salafist current, which already acknowledges the legitimacy of the current rulers.

Omar rejected the idea that the call for dialogue was a result of external pressure on Egypt. “The [Egyptian] authorities realize the requirements of the current phase, which are linked to the importance of conducting a political dialogue,” he said.

He also rejected the possibility of participation of opposition figures outside Egypt, including the Muslim Brotherhood.

Many of the Egyptian parties welcomed the move, including the Wafd Party, Justice Party, Republican People’s Party and Free Egyptians Party.