EL SISI INTERVIEW- “Up to the people” whether he runs for a second term in office. Asked in a one-on-one with the regional Asharq Alawsat newspaper whether he would consider running for a second term in office, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the decision was not up to him, but to the people. He added that running the first time was the hardest decision he’s ever had to make, knowing the amount and extent of challenges facing Egypt.

On Egypt-US relations, El Sisi said that he sees ties returning to “what they used to be” under President Donald Trump, alluding to Egypt’s strained relations with the Barack Obama administration. He said he believes the US could be a major driving force for the Arab-Israeli peace process.

It’s important to maintain good relations with the regional and international community, especially now as the fight against terrorism intensifies, El Sisi suggested. A united front is key, he added, confirming Egypt’s support for national unity in Syria, Libya, and Iraq. He also commented on the situation in Lebanon, saying that balance is the only path to stability in a country with such a diverse and complex social structure, and criticizing Iran’s alleged infringement on Lebanese sovereignty. "Our stance on Syria and other conflicts in the region is ruled by our foreign policy approach. We support national unity and reject all attempts to divide based on race or sects,” El Sisi said.

Ball is in Qatar’s court: Dialogue and diplomacy are the only ways to diffuse existing tension and conflict in the region, the president said. But Qatar is a different story since “the ball is in their court” and “the demands are clear.”

Meanwhile, speaking in Sharm El Sheikh at the World Youth Conference yesterday, El Sisi identified Egypt’s illiteracy and unemployment rates as the biggest obstacles facing the country’s youth, according to an Ittihadiya statement. Speaking yesterday at a World Youth Forum session on challenges facing youth around the world struggle, El Sisi also pointed to Egypt’s ballooning population as a major culprit behind the lack of adequate opportunities for all citizens. He said that providing one mn job opportunities per year would cost state coffers around EGP 100 bn. The president also announced that the forum will become an annual event, according to Al Shorouk.