Al-Sisi: Democracy cannot be achieved in Egypt overnight

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has said that his government seeks to achieve “prosperity” in the field of freedoms and human rights in the country but added that this is not an overnight process.

During his meeting on Thursday with a US Congress delegation visiting Cairo, Al-Sisi said: “Democracy is an expanding and ongoing process that cannot be achieved overnight.”

The comment was made as part of his response to questions from the delegation regarding the future of democracy in Egypt and the human rights violations.

He stressed Egypt’s keenness to “achieve the balance between security and stability and between rights and freedoms”.

He also noted “the importance of creating an atmosphere conducive to investments and tourism, as well as the need to preserve the safety of the citizens and residents, uphold their economic and social rights, as they are an integral part of their human rights.”

Al-Sisi added: “This goes hand in hand with political and civil freedoms that we are working to prosper in the context of a comprehensive vision for human rights.”

The delegation is due to hold meetings with several Egyptian officials “to discuss a number of mutually important issues regarding security, stability, and the war on terror”, according to a statement issued by the US embassy.