Army has role in development parallel to that of the state, claims Al-Sisi

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said on Wednesday that the Egyptian army has a role in development parallel to that of the state, Anadolu has reported. Speaking at the third annual youth conference in Al-Ismailiyeh, Al-Sisi claimed that he had the army “working under your foot in order not to let Egypt fall down.”

In 2016, Al-Sisi said that the army’s contribution to the national economy does not exceed 2 per cent. He denied that it was actually around 50 per cent.

Also last year, Egyptian Prime Minister Sharif Ismail announced that the army’s involvement in the Egyptian economy would be decreased within three years. He reiterated that the army is not involved in micro-projects of the private sector, only taking a role in macro-projects. Critics point out that this is where the big money is, and where senior officers can make a lot of money.

Recently, the army started to sell a number of vital commodities in short supply on the open market. The goods are being sold on street vans operated by army personnel. Egypt expects that the army involvement in such trade will help to get approval for the 2017/2018 budget.

To overcome the economic crises hitting the country, Al-Sisi called for the Egyptian people to be “patient” with the current challenges. He noted that the Egyptians would never feel the real improvement as long as development rate does not exceed 7, 8 or 9 per cent in the light of a population growth of 2.5 per cent. Nevertheless, the president recognised middle-class “rage” at the government’s “economic reformation” and noted that this is why the previous government did not carry out necessary reforms.

Al-Sisi became president after carrying out a military coup against the first ever freely-elected Egyptian President, Mohamed Morsi, on 3 July, 2013. Since then, the already shattered economy has continued its dramatic decline.