During a meeting with a number of political intellectuals on Monday, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli stressed that he is personally committed to implementing political reforms proposed by thinkers participating in the National Dialogue.

The attendees included Cairo University’s professors of political science Alieddin Hilal and Mohamed Kamal, former deputy prime minister Ziad Bahaaeddin and Egypt’s former ambassador to the United States Mohamed Tawfik.

Topping the agenda of Madbouli’s meeting was a discussion on parliamentary elections expected to be held at the end of 2025. “Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli also talked about the necessity of holding local council elections in the near future,” a cabinet statement said

In political terms, the first round of the National Dialogue recommended that the existing election system be changed. Diaa Rashwan, the general coordinator of the National Dialogue, said the majority of participants in the dialogue agree that 75 per cent of the seats should be elected via a proportional list system and 25 per cent by a closed party-list system.

In his government’s policy statement delivered before parliament in July, Madbouli vowed that his government will coordinate with parliament to draft new legislation to regulate local councils. Rashwan said the National Dialogue recommends granting as much power as possible to elected local councils in terms of having the right to oversee the performance of local governors and direct questions and briefing requests to heads of executive local councils.

Egypt’s local councils were dissolved by the Supreme Administrative Court in 2011.

During the meeting, the cabinet statement said, political thinkers also stressed the importance of Madbouli and leading state officials holding press conferences regularly to address the concerns of the public. “Political thinkers proposed that Madbouli also hold separate meetings with university professors, heads of professional syndicates and intellectual elites in governorates to review problems facing citizens on the ground,” the cabinet statement said.

During the meeting, regional conflicts and their impact on the Egyptian economy were discussed. Political thinkers, the statement said, reviewed the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan and what should be done to minimise their adverse effects on Egypt.

In a separate meeting on Monday in Cairo with Manfred Weber, president of the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament, Madbouli said regional and international crises, particularly the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, had cost Egypt almost $7 billion in losses in less than a year due to the decline in Suez Canal revenues. Madbouli said the wars also led to an influx of refugees and migrants in Egypt and outlined Egypt’s commitment to stemming illegal migration and cooperating with the European Union in tackling its root causes.

Bahaaeddin, who is also an economy analyst, said Egypt was able to overcome its latest economic crisis due to the inking of the Ras Al-Hekma investment deal with Emirati investors, support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and reaching a strategic partnership with the European Union.

Bahaaeddin said Egypt’s ability to attract greater foreign investments largely depended on reinforcing political stability and introducing a new package of incentives. Bahaaeddin proposed that a new state ownership policy document be issued to outline the government’s privatisation programme. “I think all of these measures will help reinforce confidence between the state on the one hand and investors and the private sector on the other,” Bahaaeddin said.

In response, Madbouli highlighted the government’s efforts to attract investors and at the same time provide essential services and meet basic needs of citizens despite unprecedented challenges.

Madbouli also delved into the impact of the American presidential elections on developments in Egypt and the rest of the Middle East. The 2024 US presidential elections, set to be held on Tuesday 5 November, will see former president Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris competing. Trump pledged that if elected he would do his best to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. Harris said that under her administration, she will be in support of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Political thinkers said Egypt should be ready to deal with all scenarios emanating from the US elections. Whatever the outcome, Madbouli stressed that Egypt will continue to play its active role and efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, secure the release of hostages and prisoners, and deliver humanitarian aid. He also stressed the importance of recognising a Palestinian state as the solution for peace and stability in the region.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 31 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly