Weekly Briefs
A parliamentary delegation from the Budget Committee traveled to the United States to meet with various financial and budgeting agencies, as well as local organizations. The delegation is discussing Egypt’s economic reform program, anti-corruption measures, and the budgeting process.
President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi participated in the recent G7 Summit in France, and members of Egypt’s House of Representatives praised the event as signifying Egypt’s economic and diplomatic prominence on the international stage.
Following a car bomb explosion outside of the National Cancer Institute in Cairo on August 4 that killed 20 people, members of Egypt’s House of Representatives condemned terrorism in Egypt. One representative blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack, and others asserted that the attack would not deter Egyptians’ resolve to counter extremism.
The International Relations Committee from the Pan-African Parliament convened in Egypt August 5–8 to discuss regional concerns to the institution. Several officials from the Egyptian House spoke at the continental body’s sessions, highlighting Egypt’s diplomatic efforts and counter-terrorism measures within Africa.
House of Representatives Spokesman Salah Hassiballah held a press conference to discuss the fourth legislative session and several representatives condemned Amnesty International following comments it made criticizing the new NGO Law.
The House of Representatives approved the draft NGO Law on July 15, which will replace the 2017 NGO Law if ratified by President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi. Representatives were critical of the draft law being submitted so close to the end of the legislative session, noting that they did not have an appropriate amount of time to debate it.
The cabinet referred a draft NGO law to the House, which would replace the 2017 NGO Law if approved. The 2019 draft law covers funding issues with domestic and foreign civil society groups, eliminates prison sentences in exchange for harsher financial penalties for violating the law, and permits the Ministry of Social Solidarity to suspend an organization’s operations before obtaining judicial consent.
News website Mada Masr, citing anonymous parliamentary sources, reported that the draft law to establish a Supreme Council for Judicial Entities was scrapped due to a disagreement between Speaker of the House Ali Abdel ‘Al and Justice Minister
The Speaker of Egypt’s House of Representatives, Ali Abdel ‘Al, traveled to China to meet with various officials in the National People’s Congress. During his meetings, Abdel ‘Al emphasized bilateral relations and discussed regional developments in the Middle East.
The House of Representatives approved a series of amendments to laws governing several judicial entities. Among other changes, the amendments allow the president to appoint the heads of seven different judicial bodies.
Representative Abdel Rahim Ali and his website, the Reference, engaged in a public dispute with Francois Deroche, president of the National Union for Federal Doctors in France.