Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said on Friday he will run for a second term in the March 2018 presidential elections.
“Today...I tell you frankly and transparently that I hope you would allow and accept my candidacy for the president’s post,” Sisi said in a speech that was broadcast on state television.
He stressed the importance of Egyptian participation in the upcoming presidential elections. He urged people not to leave their right and participate in order to express all what they want.
“I hope from you to show the world the scale of your participation in the presidential elections regardless of your choice,” he said.
In the closing session of the three-day "Story of a Nation" conference in Cairo, which was held to present an account of his first presidential term that will end in few months, Sisi emphasized that he worked as hard as he could.
“I am ready to sacrifice my soul to this country, and I have never asked for authority or sought any post within the state," he said.
This comes at a time when the National Electoral Commission (NEA) will begin receiving applications for the presidency starting Saturday, Jan. 20, and will last for 10 days. The final list of candidates will be announced on February 20. Most likely, Sisi will win a second term.
“There are people who are not satisfied with the performance of the parliament," he said, adding that this is not appropriate.
"Every one should perform his roles with efficiency and proficiency, and the elections were free.”
He pointed out the return of the state institutions is an achievement for the Egyptian state.
In his speech at the first session of the conference on foreign relations, state institutions and the fight against terrorism, Sisi said that terrorist dens are very small, “but they are preparing to destroy us.”
He said that many Egyptian youth are losing their lives to counter terrorism.
“The number of injured is more than 12,000 to 13,000, and this injury is in Egypt’s body.”
The President stressed that houses that are three kilometers from the border between Sinai and the Gaza Strip should have been removed to cut the separating barrier and preserve the country from the tunnels, which are three kilometers long.
