HE President Abdel Fattah Saeed El-Sisi assumed office as the sixth President of Egypt on 8 June 2014. Formerly a Field Marshal, he resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces to run as a civilian candidate in the May 2014 elections.

Post-Arab Spring Transition: Former Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Saeed El-Sisi removed Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi (d. 2019), from power in July 2013 following massive street protests against the Muslim Brotherhood-led government. Outbreaks of violence ensued across Egypt, including the death of hundreds of protesters during the dispersal of the Raba’a Al-Adawiya Square sit-in in Cairo. Sisi subsequently ran for office himself and was sworn in on 8 June 2014. He secured a third six-year term, winning 89.6% of the vote in the December 2023 election. This victory extends Sisi’s presidency until 2030, after which he is constitutionally barred from running again under current laws.

Economic Landscapes and Systemic Challenges: Under Sisi’s leadership, Egypt has navigated profound financial hurdles alongside substantial international bailouts, continuing to implement rigorous structural reforms under its US$8 billion IMF programme. While inflation has fluctuated down from historical peaks near 38%, price pressures remain volatile, affecting the daily cost of living indices for ordinary citizens. Concurrently, human rights organizations continue to raise persistent concerns regarding state security practices and the detention of political opposition figures, adding ongoing scrutiny from international watchdogs.

Mega Projects and Strategic Manufacturing: Since taking power, President Sisi has pushed highly ambitious megaprojects to completely modernize Egypt’s economic geography. The crown jewel is the New Administrative Capital (NAC), a $58 billion smart city located east of Cairo, designed to house up to 6.5 million people and featuring major government complexes, Africa’s tallest tower (Iconic Tower), and the region’s largest mosque. As of 2026, the vast majority of government ministries, parliament, and executive bodies have fully completed their physical transitions to the new capital, which hosted Sisi’s official third-term inauguration.

Parallel projects include the "New Delta" reclamation master plan, designed to transform millions of acres of desert into active farmland to improve agricultural self-sufficiency through the Mostaqbal Misr project. On the Mediterranean coast, construction has accelerated on the massive Ras El Hekma tourism and urban hub—backed by a historic $35 billion investment deal signed with the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, the $30 billion El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, constructed in partnership with Russia’s Rosatom, is entering advanced technical assembly phases to inject clean baseline energy into the national grid by 2030.

The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in November 2025 marked a major cultural milestone during President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s tenure. One of the world’s largest archaeological museums, it reflects Egypt’s investment in preserving its ancient heritage and promoting its cultural legacy on the international stage.

Gaza Conflict and Ceasefire Diplomacy: Egypt has maintained a central, indispensable role in the diplomatic and humanitarian architecture surrounding the Gaza conflict. Sisi has established a permanent geopolitical "red line" explicitly rejecting any forced demographic displacement or mass transfer of Palestinians into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, identifying such moves as an existential threat to Egyptian national security and a death blow to the Palestinian right to statehood.

"The establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the key to defusing regional tensions and reaching true and sustainable peace and security."

$58 billion: cost of the New Administrative Capital

12% the amount of global trade via the Suez Canal