It took place on the 11th anniversary of 30 June, when Egyptians imposed their will to end the one-year rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, a dark time in which the country edged closer and closer to civil war and complete collapse.
This occasion was an important reminder of the many difficult challenges the country managed to overcome in those 11 years. It also provided an incentive for the new government led by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli, to resume its hard work dealing with the current challenges and well-deserved expectations of the Egyptian people for higher standards of living and a more powerful economy to enable them.
The cabinet reshuffle, the first since President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi was sworn in for a new, six-year term in early April, is expected to build on the achievements of the past 10 years, especially in terms of reforming the economy and refurbishing the infrastructure, which was a vital perquisite for attracting investments and launching a long-term plan for economic growth and prosperity.
Both President Al-Sisi and Prime Minister Madbouli have repeatedly thanked the Egyptian people for enduring the hard-hitting effects of necessary economic reforms, with high levels of inflation, shortages in some commodities, and rising costs of basic services such as electricity, fuel and water.
Resuming the reform process would have been impossible without the people’s confidence in the determination and sincerity of the political leadership. Few don’t understand the global and regional conditions that led to such economic woes over the past five years: COVID-19, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.
Adding to the hope that the new cabinet officially announced yesterday will continue the hard work is that it only materialised after intense discussions and consultations led by Prime Minister Madbouli, who held more than 65 meetings with candidates for the different posts over a month, looking for experience, innovative ideas and the energy to carry out the difficult tasks ahead.
Madbouli also stressed the need for transparency and a clearer explanation of the government’s aims and objectives to Egyptians through providing credible information and facts to the public. This was the manner in which he dealt with recent crises, foremost among which is the latest wave of electricity outages which the government was forced to resort to following an unprecedented heat wave and shortages in gas supplies. The prime minister immediately held a news conference, offering his apology to the Egyptian people and promising to immediately work on solutions to end power cuts by the third week of July.
While dealing with such vital needs for Egyptians, the new government is expected to look for speedy solutions and to show flexibility regarding the public’s well-deserved ambitions and expectations. The ambitious government plan to attract new industries and direct foreign investments requires immediate action to reach a permanent solution for the electricity problem.
Other top priorities facing Madbouli and his ministers include dealing with the imminent challenge of an increasing number of guests coming into Egypt for refuge due to deteriorating conditions in their own countries. While Egypt welcomes the nationals of neighbouring countries, their residence must have a legal, regulatory framework at a time when the country is facing tough economic conditions.
Egyptians certainly deserve and expect better services in the fields of health and education. The government had already announced many ambitious plans in this field, including a national medical insurance project that has already started in several key cities. Both government and private sector investments have also introduced promising improvements in education and health care, a trend that is expected to continue.
The volatile regional situation prevailing in every country bordering Egypt — Sudan, Libya, Palestine and Israel — adds to the pressures facing the new cabinet as it works on economic reform and development. There is no doubt that those conflicts directly affect Egypt and its national security, let alone the economy. Suez Canal revenues, for example, have dropped by nearly 60 per cent since the Houthis in Yemen started targeting ships in the Red Sea under the banner of solidarity with Palestinians facing Israel’s aggression in Gaza. Attracting tourists and foreign investors are certainly goals difficult to achieve in a region marked by wars and domestic conflicts.
This is why a constant in President Al-Sisi’s policy has been working hard on reaching a peaceful settlement for all spiralling conflicts in the region, topped, of course, by the Israeli war in Gaza which has so far killed more than 38,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 100,000. Egypt has also actively participated in regional and international efforts to end conflicts in Sudan and Libya, both Arab-Muslim nations that Egyptians hold dear.
Acknowledging the direct influence of these conflicts on domestic conditions in Egypt, the government has recently asked participants in the National Dialogue to hold discussions on those pressing issues and their effect on the country’s national security. The National Dialogue is also expected to conclude discussions on other, long awaited domestic political reforms to ensure that Egyptians can enjoy their political rights, enshrined in the constitution, and participate in decision making, especially ahead of parliamentary elections at the end of next year.
This is indeed a long list of tasks for Madbouli’s new government. Yet, with determination, transparency and the right priorities, the first government in President Al-Sisi’s new term should manage to achieve the results to which Egyptians aspire.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 4 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: