The outcome of Egypt’s presidential election may well be a foregone conclusion, yet next week's vote is set to be long remembered for the tough and trying times in which it will be held.
Running against three little-known politicians, soldier-turned-president Abdel Fattah El Sisi is widely expected to secure a comfortable win to keep him in office until 2030.
But cruising to victory is unlikely to be enough during a continuing economic crisis and after the Israel-Gaza war broke out in October.
Mr El Sisi’s campaign is said to be focused on persuading voters to head to the polls in large numbers to give him a convincing mandate for painful foreign and domestic policy decisions.
His three challengers – Farid Zahran, Hazem Omar and Abdel Sanad Yamama – are given air time on state and pro-government TV networks to expound their views.
They have also been allowed to hold campaign rallies.
All three have been critical of the government and of policies adopted by the President himself.
But they have refrained from personal criticism of Mr El Sisi in campaigns marked more by politeness towards the frontrunner than voters might expect in an election.
In any case, the election has been overshadowed in the minds of Egyptians by the Gaza war and the nation’s economic woes, giving rise to speculation the turnout may be embarrassingly low.
Both issues have pushed people into a state of anger and despair chiefly reflected in a flood of social media posts airing hatred for Israel, support for the Palestinians and, in some cases, criticism of the government.
Of particular concern to Egyptians is the tragically high death toll among Gaza’s Palestinians – more than 16,200 so far – and the humanitarian crisis there.
Authorities allowed a few pro-Palestinian protests during the early stages of the war but clamped down after one rally turned against the government.
Protesters sought to occupy Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the centre of a 2011 uprising that forced autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak to step down after 29 years in power.
The vote also comes at a time when Egypt’s national security is under threat from the continuing political divisions and rivalries in Libya, its neighbour to the west.
There is also the war in Sudan, Egypt’s southern neighbour, where the army and a powerful militia have been fighting for nearly eight months in a war that has devastated the vast and impoverished country and displaced millions.
About 300,000 Sudanese have fled to Egypt since the conflict began in April.
That Egypt is now surrounded by nations that are either at war or deeply unstable has given Mr El Sisi’s supporters one more reason to declare him the best man for the highest office.
Only a leader with military background can handle Egypt’s multitude of challenges, his supporters say in many of the thousands of pro-El Sisi posts on social media.
Egypt’s woes could worsen, say analysts.
Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza and its offensive in the strip’s southern region is leaving the territory’s 2.3 million residents with rapidly shrinking space to seek refuge.
That is raising fears that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians could storm across the border and into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula in search of safety.
Egypt has repeatedly said that forcing Gaza’s Palestinians into Sinai would end the Palestinian cause.
Sounding tough on an issue about which most Egyptians feel strongly, Mr El Sisi has repeatedly said that forcing the Palestinians into Sinai is a “red line” and warned against mistaking for weakness his “calm demeanour” when speaking on the issue.
It may be too soon to judge whether his hardline rhetoric on Israel – he describes its actions in Gaza as collective punishment and inhumane – would satisfy a nation where resentment of Israel and anti-western sentiment are at a level not seen since the two former enemies signed a peace treaty in 1979.
Egyptian officials told The National that Cairo had received assurances from the US, Israel’s closest ally and chief backer, that a forced migration of Palestinians into Egypt will not happen.
But there are doubts that such assurances are enough.
“The trajectory of the war in Gaza might put such assurances under pressure,” Michael Hanna, director of the US programme at the International Crisis Group think tank, told The National.
“If the war goes the way it’s been going, the border between Egypt and Gaza will come under immense pressure. Reality might have a say then."
What comes next at home after the election will be equally daunting, as Egypt’s leader will have little choice but to meet the International Monetary Fund's conditions for more financial support.
Already, disbursement of a $3 billion support package agreed to with the IMF in December last year has been halted after Egypt fell behind on its pledges to adopt a flexible exchange rate – or devaluation – and to pull the state and the military back from their dominant position in the economy.
But it will not be easy to walk back from the edge of an economic abyss.
The world’s three major rating agencies – Moody's, S&P and Fitch – all recently downgraded Egypt's sovereign debt further into junk territory.
In its October 20 downgrade, S&P said it believed the presidential election could create political space for economic reforms, including a currency devaluation.
Fitch, in a November 3 downgrade, said it expected privatisation to accelerate, costly mega projects initiated and overseen by Mr El Sisi to slow down, and the currency to be adjusted after the election.
A persistent shortage of hard currency is suppressing imports of essential commodities and hurting industries that rely on foreign materials.
An industrialist who makes fabrics exclusively for export to North America has complained that the crunch is stopping him importing raw materials, although the business has enough foreign currency funds.
“In our case, it is unusual and it’s scaring us," the industrialist said.
"We earn foreign currency and as such we should have no problems at all using it to import material. I think they are just trying to keep dollars longer by slowing down the process."
After three devaluations since March last year, the Egyptian pound is traded on the black market at about 40 per cent weaker than the bank rate of about 31 pounds to the dollar.
Inflation is about 35 per cent, dealing a blow to middle and working-class Egyptians who had already been struggling before the economic crisis hit early last year.
A senior international banker in Cairo said a post-election devaluation may not hit so hard because most goods and services have for months been priced on the basis of the black-market rate.
It hit 50 pounds to the dollar this month but more recently climbed back up to about 45 to 46 pounds.
But Mr Hanna says Egypt’s efforts to ease the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza and its handling of the Sudan war has created a measure of goodwill from its US, European and Gulf Arab allies, which could translate into an economic rescue package.
“This is a vulnerable moment for Egypt and there’s probably a little more understanding for Egypt’s predicament,” he said.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
New Zealand squad
Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
MATCH DETAILS
Barcelona 0
Slavia Prague 0
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
VERSTAPPEN'S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days - Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
More on Turkey's Syria offence
Results
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Marwa W’Rsan, Sam Hitchcott, Jaci Wickham.
6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m
Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m
Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
