(AFP FILE PHOTO EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY)
Concluding his term as interim president, outgoing President Adly Mansour thanked the people of Egypt in his farewell speech, delivered on Wednesday afternoon.
Mansour was appointed by new President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to take over the state’s affairs last July after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi. His term officially ends with Al-Sisi’s inauguration, scheduled for next Sunday.
Mansour expressed his gratitude for the people of Egypt for their “wide participation” in the presidential elections despite the high temperature and despite it being the seventh time Egyptians were asked to head to the polls since the 25 January Revolution in 2011. Over 25 million voters cast their ballots in the elections, according to the Presidential Elections Commission’s figures.
“I now hand-over the state to the president entrusted by the people,” Mansour said, adding that the country is now in better shape than when he took over on 3 July. “Egypt now has a constitution, an elected president and will soon have an elected parliament.”
Mansour listed a set a recommendations for Al-Sisi. He called on him to provide women with all their rights, to preserve judiciary independence and to protect human rights.
Addressing the people, Mansour said that they would no longer be made to “give up bread for dignity or give up security for freedom”.
“Though 30 June [protests] represent a popular will… it would not have been possible without the efforts of the armed forces and the police,” Mansour said. He added that if it weren’t for the armed forces and the police, the state of Egypt could have “collapsed”.
Mansour offered his condolences to “all national martyrs who died during the 25 January Revolution, the 30 June Revolution or those from the armed forces and the police”. He added that honouring the martyrs of the armed forces and the police was one of the hardest responsibilities he had to face as president.
Mansour thanked Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Palestine for supporting Egypt during the transitional stage.
“I tell the other camp Egypt… will remain immortal with or without you,” Mansour added.
Mansour was appointed as interim president in his professional capacity as the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court. He had long served as a judge in the same court.
