Egypt's Sisi sworn in for second term in office

World
Europe

00:44

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in on Saturday before the parliament for a second four-year term in office, state-run Nile TV reported.

Sisi took the presidential oath before a packed parliament, and vowed to tackle jihadists and revive the economy during the ceremony.

"Together we face economic, social and political challenges and their negative effects on all aspects of life," Sisi said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks at his swearing-in ceremony at the House of Representatives in Cairo, Egypt, June 2, 2018. /Reuters Photo

"Only those who have opted for violence, terrorism and extremism will be excluded from common spaces," he said.

Sisi won 97 percent of the vote in a landslide re-election victory, with a turnout of 41 percent, beating his sole rival Moussa Mostafa Moussa.

He will be in office until 2022.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks at his swearing-in ceremony at the House of Representatives in Cairo, Egypt, June 2, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Before addressing public officials and religious authorities, the president led a minute's silence for the Egyptians who had died "for the country."

Egypt has been hit by a series of deadly militant attacks in recent years.

Jihadists have killed hundreds of soldiers, policemen and civilians, mainly in the northern Sinai peninsula but also elsewhere in Egypt.

Egyptian Army officers are seen in the troubled northern part of the Sinai Peninsula during a launch of a major assault against militants, in Al Arish, Egypt, in this undated handout picture made available by the Ministry of Defense, March 4, 2018.

"Together we fought brutal terrorism that sought to undermine the unity of our homeland," he said.

Economy and security

Seven years after the January 2011 uprising, Sisi will face two major challenges in his second term: security and economic recovery.

Since February 9, the army has been conducting a vast military campaign to "cleanse" the country of terrorists. The fighting has so far killed at least 200 jihadists and 35 soldiers, according to official figures.

Since taking office, Sisi has enacted a series of reforms aimed at stabilizing an economy hit by security threats and runaway inflation.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gestures next to Egypt's parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal after the swearing-in ceremony at the House of Representatives in Cairo, Egypt, June 2, 2018. /Reuters Photo

In November 2016, the IMF granted Egypt a 12 billion US dollar (10 billion euro) loan over three years, conditional on reforms including the adoption of a value-added tax, energy subsidy cuts and floating the pound.

And while GDP growth has increased in the past year from 4.2 percent to 5.2 percent, drastic cuts to state subsidies have proved highly unpopular. In the next four years, the president is expected to continue pursuing major infrastructure projects including the construction of a new capital in the eastern desert.

Sisi won his first term in 2014 with an overwhelming majority of the vote.

He faced no serious competition in his run for re-election.

His only opponent, Moussa Mostafa Moussa, was relatively unknown and himself a fervent Sisi supporter.

Egyptian media has reported that Sisi will likely reshuffle his cabinet in the coming days.

(With input from AFP)

7553km