What Sisi needs

I met with a senior politician last week and I asked him the typical question every Egyptian asks: “Where are we going?”

He answered, without hesitation, the same words we hear every day: “The situation is very difficult and we are experiencing a complicated stage.” I then asked him what the solution was.

His assessment was that Egypt needs 100 per cent, and not 99 per cent, of its citizens to help out and put a real effort. He added that Egypt needs the prayers of its families, and most importantly, we need the grace of God. In his opinion, even if all these things were met, Egypt would still need a miracle to escape from its crisis because the situation is so bleak.

Egyptian President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi needs a qualified administration in order to help him move from the state of crisis to a state of prosperity. However, the problem is that the current administration is a hindering factor rather than an assisting and it is a burden to any president or government.

Al-Sisi needs to immediately begin reforming the education sector in order to find cadres and competent individuals in the next few years, especially since the magnitude of ignorance and backwardness in the state’s administration is unprecedented. This ignorance and lack of competency leads to endless disasters, the effects of which will emerge in the future. The president needs a true war and deterrence against thieves, especially those who steal people’s livelihoods.

Of course, Al-Sisi needs money and many resources in order to address the severe economic crisis in the country, especially in light of the weakness of direct exports and investments, in addition to the decline of tourism and the Egyptians’ lack of remittances from abroad. All of this is accompanied by an economic crisis suffered by the entire world, and more dangerously, the unprecedented turbulences in the region that threaten its existence.

However, the most important thing Al-Sisi needs is to surround himself with the largest number of experts and qualified individuals in all fields. The president needs to be more open to the entire society. He also needs to hear the opinions of many and look at all the society’s groups. If he manages to restore the June 30 coalition, or at least the majority of it, then he would have been halfway to resolving the crisis.

This last requirement is a matter that almost everyone I have talked to and listened to recently agrees on.

The challenges that are facing Egypt today are unprecedented, and we are on the verge of facing problems that will not stop. Every time we overcome a crisis, we find a new one igniting.

Are we experiencing targeting and ambushing from some external forces? This may be true, and if it is, then we cannot overcome it by means of media campaigns. Instead, we must achieve the largest percentage of national consensus possible, and in order to do so, the president must be more open to everyone, especially the national forces that participated in the events of 30 June 2013.

The president needs to meet with, sit with, and listen to experts from various fields and across the spectrum.

The president needs to find windows and doors between him and the people that are always open.

Of course I do not mean “everyone” in the literal sense of the word, rather the active forces and individuals in the society.

The president needs to expand his base of advisors. I do not know the limits of his current circle and there are reports that say the president sits and listens to a number of figures, but this does not reach the media. I do mean that all of the president’s meetings need to be reported and announced, but the ultimate goal is that he increase the number of his advisers in order for this to reflect on alleviating the crises and problems faced by the people on a daily basis.

We are sure the president is making a great effort every day and is keen on doing many things himself, but unfortunately, he will not always be right for the job, and these things may consume his time and health. We need highly qualified and efficient advisors, as it is one of the most important means of overcoming the crisis we are facing.

Translated from Al-Shorouk News 16 October 2016

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.