Six-hundred foreign reporters applied to cover Egypt's 2018 presidential elections, the head of Egypt's National Press Authority, Karam Gabr, said in statements late on Tuesday.

Gabr affirmed in TV statements that the authority is working to facilitate and solve any obstacles that journalists and reporters may encounter during the coverage of the elections.

Earlier this month, Egypt's the NEA approved 1,558 journalists from print, broadcast and TV news outlets to cover the elections.

The NEA also approved granting the National Press Authority permits for 11 anchors, 41 directors, 38 cameramen and 26 chief editors and correspondents, with a total of 116 permits issued.

Two candidates have registered to run in the elections: incumbent President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Ghad Party leader Moussa Mostafa Moussa.

President El-Sisi, whose current term will end in June, won the 2014 presidential elections with nearly 97 percent of the vote in a two-man race against leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi.

The elections are scheduled to start nationwide on 26-28 March, with runs-offs, if they are to take place, scheduled for 24-26 April.

If no run-offs are necessary, the winner will be announced on 2 April.