Reforms on right track, Al Sissi says
Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi urged citizens on Saturday to further endure economic reforms and austerity measures, including a recent wave of steep price hikes on fuel, electricity and drinking water.
His televised address comes on the fifth anniversary of the June 30 mass protests that triggered the ouster of Islamist president Mohammad Mursi following his yearlong divisive rule and later brought Al Sissi to power.
Al Sissi said the reforms, which began after he took office in 2014, have put Egypt on “the right track” and urged citizens to “feel proud” of what the country has achieved so far in terms of security, its fight against terrorism and the economy.
Al Sissi referred specifically to the economic growth rate increase to 5.4 per cent and the hike in Egypt’s foreign reserves to $44 billion.
He said the reforms will spur economic growth by over seven per cent in the coming years.
The reforms and austerity measures have hit poor and middle-class Egyptians especially hard and fanned popular discontent.
Over the past weeks, Egyptians have posted thousands of tweets to voice frustration with the government and it latest measures, especially the latest wave of price hikes.
One popular hashtag called on Al Sissi to resign.
During his address, Al Sissi acknowledged that the reforms were hard to endure but maintained that they were long overdue and had become “imperative.”
“The path of real reform is difficult and cruel and causes a lot of suffering,” he said. “But there is no doubt that the suffering resulting from the lack of reform is much worse.”
Al Sissi praised the efforts of security forces to stem the Islamist militancy which has surged since Mursi’s ouster in 2013.