President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s call for a political dialogue on national priorities during the annual Egyptian Family Iftar Banquet in April was welcomed by various segments of Egyptian society, including political parties, professional syndicates, labour unions, trade unions, public figures, and citizens.

El-Sisi assigned the country’s National Youth Conference — which is organised by the National Training Academy (NTA) — to conduct a political dialogue on the current national issues and deliver the outcomes to him.

According to Rashwan, this is the first national dialogue to be issued by a president since the July 1952 Revolution, noting that the call was launched publicly by the president in the presence of opposition figures during the banquet.

Furthermore, the president promised to attend the final stages of the dialogue, which is set to include “all political parties without any exceptions or discrimination.”

The NTA said its role is limited to organisational and logistical tasks for the dialogue, and that the academy will not interfere in its content, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

The first sessions of the national political dialogue are scheduled to be held in the first week of July.

As general coordinator, Rashwan is expected to coordinate with political and union forces to form a board of trustees for the dialogue.

The board will comprise 15 members and include representatives of participating groups, public figures, and experts.