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Al-Sisi claims population increase is cause of Egypt's problems

May 4, 2014 at 12:38 pm

Presidential candidate and coup leader Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has claimed that Egypt’s population increase is one of the main causes of the country’s problems. He pointed to the possibility of exploiting manpower to establish the hoped-for economic leap.


Speaking at a meeting with members of the National Council for Population, Al-Sisi said that the problems plaguing Egypt are not the result of chance, but have accumulated over the past few decades. “The problems facing the state need more time and effort before we see any results,” he told the audience.

Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics revealed last February that Egypt’s population stood at 86 million, in addition to eight million Egyptians living abroad, according to estimates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The rate of the increase of the population in Egypt last year was 5.2 per cent compared with 2.6 per cent in 2012.

Al-Sisi added that what he described as the genius of any decision lies in how it relates to society, and is not incompatible with the laws of God Almighty. He stressed that religion in its broadest understanding accommodates everyone: “Our actions and our words must be fitting to the attributes of God.”

The ex-Minister of Defence explained that the correct concept of democracy “means the will of the people and their freedom of choice”. He added that no-one should influence the Egyptians or impose an opinion or thought upon them by force. In an earlier statement, Al-Sisi said that if he is elected president he will make a great effort to select sincere, creative, national figures in an “impartial and unbiased” manner, with courtesy to all.

The Presidential Elections Committee has approved the papers two applicants contesting the election: Al-Sisi and Hamdeen Sabahi, who was a presidential candidate in the 2012 election, coming third in the first round.

Al-Sisi led last year’s coup which ousted elected President Mohamed Morsi. He has since seen several provinces and universities demonstrate to demand the return of the legitimacy of the democratic elections in 2012. The authorities which took over the reins of the country have launched a campaign of arrests of opponents of the coup, especially leaders and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.