Egypt’s young leaders are lauding national dialogue efforts made by the government over the past few months in order to open discussion with the opposition and create a better political atmosphere.
“President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s call, in which he called on all forces and currents for a national dialogue, revealed the political leadership’s awareness of the importance of completing the reform process that he started in 2016,” Dr Nourhan Moussa, a legal consultant and one of the organizers of the World Youth Forum, told the Egyptian Gazette.
Moussa added that the reform process will not happen without real political reform that goes hand in hand with achieving security, stability and economic reform.
“The importance of the call was realized as a valuable opportunity that must be exploited to achieve public benefit at a time when economic challenges persist and important political changes are sweeping the region,” Moussa added.
On April 26, President El Sisi called for a national dialogue on various issues and in response to the call, a board of trustees for the dialogue was formed, which held several meetings to set the rules of dialogue and to form its various committees.
Egypt reiterated its refusal this week to question the seriousness of the national dialogue, denying what it described as “rumors that seek to fail the dialogue”.
Diaa Rashwan, the general coordinator of the national dialogue and head of the Syndicate of Egyptian Journalists, said that “the dialogue has a serious action plan, and is not a formal festive occasion,” stressing that “the Board of Trustees is in permanent session, and none of its members withdrew”.
“These rumors are aimed at sabotaging, provoking and spoiling the national dialogue,” Rashwan said, stressing “everyone’s keenness on participation and the success of the dialogue.”
