(Photo Presidency handout\File)
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi issued a presidential decree to establish four specialised councils to be focused on economic development; foreign policy and national security; education and scientific research; and community development, according a presidential statement released Thursday.
The decree No. 60 of 2015 states that the four specialised councils must directly report back to Al-Sisi. However, the statement added that each council will be considered “independent”.
Additional councils could potentially be established by another presidential decree.
The president must also choose the managing coordinator for each group.
Should Al-Sisi be present in any of the councils’ meetings, he would chair the council.
The community development council is concerned with “studying and suggesting public policies that aim to develop a community based on the foundations of justice, equality, opportunity, respect, and the acceptance of the other”, the statement read.
The education and research council is responsible for contributing policy suggestions for all different levels of developmental education, as well as coordinating with research centres in various fields.
Meanwhile the economic development council is set to study economic policies that can lead to increased production and better use of resources.
The foreign affairs and national security council will study Egypt’s foreign relations, and suggest public policies that can “achieve the security and well-being of the country externally and internally”.
All decisions and suggestions are to be referred back to the president, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Al-Sisi also met with Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb Thursday to discuss the appointment of 17 new governors on 7 February.
