UK Calls for Inclusive Governance from Egypt’s New President

The British government has described the Egyptian presidential election as important step towards a democratic transition in Egypt.

However, officials refused to comment on the unofficial results, which indicate a landslide victory for former army chief Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

“The Egyptian election is important for the process of the democratic transition and return to forming an elected government in Egypt,” a Foreign Office spokeswoman told Ahram Online.

The UK says the new president faces a lot of future challenges, including bringing long-term stability, which “will be achieved only through inclusive governance which represents all parties.”

The UK is calling for a “full and functioning democracy in all its aspects, including an independent judiciary, a vibrant civil society and a free media” in Egypt.

Ahram Online understands that the British government is consulting its European Union partners on the results of the Egyptian presidential election, which will be announced on 3-4June.

The spokeswoman refused to comment on the results of the election, but stated that the voting has been observed by the European Union and other international organisations.

Some of the staff of the UK embassy had participated in the EU observation mission.

In a meeting in London two weeks ago with his Egyptian counterpart Nabil Famhy, the UK foreign minister, William Hague, called for an independent judiciary, a vibrant civil society and a free media in line with the commitments made in Egypt’s new constitution.

He criticised “the general closure of political space in Egypt in recent months.”

There are also wide concerns within the UK government about the trial of Egyptian and foreign journalists and the mass death sentence verdicts against alleged supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

Source: Ahram Online