Sisi, imposing human rights on Egypt is 'dictatorial'

Egyptian President

argued that wanting to impose on Egypt a protection of human rights considered valid in other countries, speeding up the pace with respect to the needs of economic and social development, is a "dictatorial approach".

The Egyptian head of state made the statement speaking at the ceremony for the launch of Egypt's first "National Strategy for Human Rights", held in the new administrative capital that is rising east of Cairo. 

Noting that there were "foreigners" (including many ambassadors) attending the event, Sisi recalled that "everyone believes they are better than others in terms of intellectual or cultural abilities and wants to impose it on other companies". Addressing "those who think so", the Egyptian president said: "Please bear in mind that this could be a dictatorial approach."

"You can apply it and consider it the best for your companies, but not for ours," added Sisi. "Why do you want to impose it on us? Why don't you want our societies to follow their natural development process and take their time?" He insisted during a panel discussion.

In presenting the national strategy, the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations in Geneva, Ahmed Gamal El-Din, listed as human rights to be protected those to health, education, work, social security, food, drinking water, home, identity cultural and religious (women, children, disabled and elderly will be particular objectives of protection).

This "Egyptian vision for human rights" to be implemented in the five-year period 2021-2026 "is based on fundamental pillars" including "the close link between democracy and human rights" and the "balance" between "individual rights" and "social" ( among others, "health services" are "a right"), Sisi said in a speech given in a congress hall.

"This is the first national strategy produced by an autonomous Egyptian philosophy that is based on society", underlined the president who argued that "the Egyptian state affirms its commitment to promote and protect the right to physical integrity, freedom personal, exercise of political rights, freedom of expression "and more.

Sisi - speaking at the round table - admitted that the launch of the national strategy "is nothing more than an initial step of thousands of steps towards a modern democratic state that respects and promotes the human rights of its people". The rotating president of the UN Human Rights Council, Nazhat Shameem Khan, in a video message made her "congratulations" to Egypt for the launch of the strategy, defining it as an "important step towards the promotion and protection of human rights" in the country.