Egyptian Artists Add Festive Mood to Presidential Elections

 Egyptian actor Adel Imam/AFP
Egyptian actor Adel Imam/AFP
TT

Egyptian Artists Add Festive Mood to Presidential Elections

 Egyptian actor Adel Imam/AFP
Egyptian actor Adel Imam/AFP

During the past three days of elections, a large number of Egyptian artists voted for the new President in a festive mood.

Their fame on television and cinema screens was therefore transmitted to polling stations across the country, and was quickly spread in short videos or photos on the social media.

One of those leading artists is actor Adel Imam, also nicknamed the Zaeem or the leader. Imam was filmed on Wednesday telling an employee responsible for checking names at the voters’ list, “eating pasta and stuffed zucchini was behind your obesity.”

The employee then replied to Imam that sitting down for long hours to watch his plays was behind her obesity.

Then the two were filmed while laughing at the jokes they made.

Some social media users also spread the photo of actor Lublouba while kissing the voting paper. She was then quoted as saying, “I kissed the paper because I was happy I voted. I did not know someone was taking a photo.”

Egyptian belly dancer, Sama el-Masry drove the attention of the media by attending one of the polling stations riding a motorcycle.

Voters raced to take photos with her before she casted her vote.

At one of the polling station in Misr al-Gadida, actress Laila Elwi spread an optimistic mood when she said, “Today, Egypt is happy to have you.”
Some voters had offered Elwi roses after she casted her vote.

Also, some reports said that Egyptian actor Hussein Fahmy has casted his voted twice, the first time in the UAE and the second time inside Egypt.

However, following the news, the National Elections Authority (NEA) held a press conference asserting that it was impossible for any voter to cast his ballot more than once because the NEA systematically removed the names of those who voted abroad from the voter database after the end of polls outside Egypt.

Popular singer Hakim was seen touring the streets of west Cairo in a convertible car, singing a song entitled “Abo el Regoula,” he had released this month calling on Egyptians to cast their votes.



Sisi: Electricity Interconnection Projects with Saudi Arabia a Model for Regional Cooperation

Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawy. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawy. (Egyptian Presidency)
TT

Sisi: Electricity Interconnection Projects with Saudi Arabia a Model for Regional Cooperation

Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawy. (Egyptian Presidency)
Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawy. (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi affirmed that the electrical interconnection project with Saudi Arabia represents a model of regional energy cooperation and a benchmark for future similar ventures in electrical connectivity, directing close monitoring of all project details.
Sisi made these remarks during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawy.
According to a statement by the Egyptian presidency on Sunday, the discussion reviewed the status of electrical interconnection projects between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, emphasizing their importance in enhancing grid efficiency and stability while optimizing the use of generation capacity during peak demand periods.
Cairo and Riyadh signed an agreement in 2012 to establish the electrical interconnection project at a cost of $1.8 billion, with Egypt contributing $600 million (1 USD = 49.65 EGP in local banks). In a government meeting in mid-October, Madbouly announced that the interconnection line is expected to become operational in May or June of next year, with an initial capacity of 1,500 megawatts.
This initiative is the first of its kind to enable high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power exchange in the Middle East and North Africa region. It connects Badr City in Egypt to Medina via Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Late last month, Madbouly highlighted that the project, set to produce 3,000 megawatts in two phases, is a landmark achievement for Egypt’s energy sector.
Presidential spokesperson Mohamed al-Shenawy stated that the meeting also highlighted the progress on the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant. The project is seen as vital to Egypt’s comprehensive development strategy, which aims to diversify energy sources through renewable and alternative means, improving service delivery to citizens.
Located in northern Egypt, the Dabaa plant will consist of four nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 4,800 megawatts (1,200 megawatts per reactor). The first reactor is expected to be operational by 2028, with the others coming online sequentially. The Egyptian government has pledged to fulfill its commitments to ensure the project meets its scheduled timeline.
The president also directed the government to intensify efforts to attract investments in the energy sector, develop the management of the national gas grid, and ensure stable energy supplies for both electricity and industrial sectors. Furthermore, he urged rapid progress on renewable energy projects to diversify energy sources, expand grid capacity, and modernize the network using advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce losses.