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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Cairo - Mohammed Nabil Helmi

Egypt's Sisi Calls for 'Political Dialogue' between Parties, Youth

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gives a statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination, during a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022. (Reuters)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi tasked on Tuesday the Youth National Conference with coordinating with political parties, movements and youth groups to hold political dialogue.

He said the aim of the talks is to discuss the "priorities of national work at this current time."

He made his remarks during the annual Egyptian Family Iftar banquet in Cairo, which was attended by senior government officials, politicians, partisans and families of army and police martyrs.

Notable among the attendees were figures who had been absent from recent formal occasions. They included former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi and political activist Khaled Dawoud, who was released from detention just months ago.

Sis had last week called for reactivating the Presidential Pardon Committee and expanding its work base in cooperation with the relevant agencies and civil society organizations.

Political powers and local and international civil society organizations have for years urged Egyptian authorities to release activists and human rights figures who are being held on several charges.

Egypt on Sunday released 41 political prisoners from pre-trial detention. Lawmakers said others will be released soon.

Sisi also addressed the economy during Tuesday's iftar.

He ordered the government and all agencies to hold an international press conference to announce the state's plan to address the global economic crisis.

He urged relevant authorities to continue to provide all basic commodities to citizens at subsidized prices until the end of 2022.

Sisi reassured Egyptians that the government will soon announce a clear plan to reduce public debt, amid efforts to borrow again from the International Monetary Fund.

He assured investors that support will be doubled to the private sector to allow it to further play a role in developing the economy.

Sisi said an initiative will be launched soon to support and localize national industries by bolstering the private sector’s role in expanding the industrial base of medium and large industries.

He also ordered the government to list companies owned by the armed forces on the Egyptian Stock Exchange before late 2022.

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