National Dialogue... Must-Know Facts, Activities (Report)

The National Dialogue is a new social contract written by all Egyptians, following directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, during the Egyptian Family Iftar ceremony, in the holy month of Ramadan.

During the Iftar Ceremony, Sisi called for the launch of a dialogue platform for all political forces and societal groups, stressing that the nation would open its arms to all its citizens.

Among the president’s decisions during the Iftar ceremony, he was assigned to run the National Youth Conference in coordination with all party and youth political currents to conduct a political dialogue on the priorities of national action during the current stage.

Furthermore, Sisi called the concerned bodies to submit the results of this dialogue to him personally, and he promised to attend these dialogues in their final stages. He also decided to reactivate the work of the presidential pardon committee that was formed as one of the outcomes of the National Youth Conference, provided that it continues its work base in cooperation with the competent authorities.

Sisi also took a package of economic measures, activating the protection umbrellas for all poor groups, as well as directing support to farmers and wheat farmers, and removing a group of fines from prisons.

In this regard, the National Council for Human Rights held its eighth periodic meeting, headed by Moushira Khattab, President of the Council, and in the presence of Mahmoud Karem, Vice President of the Council, and Fahmy Fayed, Secretary General of the Council. The Council, in light of the Council’s action plan, to follow up on the implementation of all the national human rights strategic items in a manner that ensures the fulfillment of all commitments stipulated within the timeframe specified for the strategy.

The council reviewed the vision it prepared for the national dialogue called for by President Sisi, at the Egyptian family’s Iftar on April 26, 2022.

Council members affirmed that the national dialogue to involve all components of Egyptian society represents the process of drafting a new social contract based on respecting and ensuring human rights for all Egyptians without discrimination or exclusion.

The Council agreed to establish a unit for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) that includes a number of heads of specific committees and units and members of the Council.

The council also reviewed the report of the visit to Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, which was organized by the committees for social and economic rights. During the meeting, the president of the council gave thanks and appreciation to Major General Gamal Nour El-Din, Governor of Kafr El-Sheikh, for the efforts made by the governorate to facilitate and organize the delegation’s visit to the governorate and to hold the meetings that took place with all Executive and popular organs in the governorate.

The council will visit the rest of the governorates successively, considering that visits to the governorates are a major component of the council’s work plan.

The Council discussed the draft law on addressing hate speech, which was prepared by the Legislative Committee of the Council, within the framework of the Council’s interest in addressing hate speech and the discrimination it leads to the violation of human rights.

The Council also reviewed the report submitted by Fayed on the meeting that took place with the Human Rights Committee in the House of Representatives to discuss the Council’s financial budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023.

The report emphasized the constructive role played by the Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, to provide the necessary funds to implement the activities of the Council during the next fiscal year, which contribute to the promotion, protection and dissemination of a culture of human rights.

In May, the National Training Academy (NTA) announced that it would run a national dialogue that Sisi had called for during the Egyptian Family Iftar ceremony with complete impartiality.

The NTA stressed that its role is to coordinate between the different groups participating in the dialogue without interfering with the content of what is being discussed, in order to make room for a serious, effective and inclusive national dialogue for all forces and groups.