Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has issued Decree No 174 for 2021, renewing the nationwide State of Emergency for three further months, effective from 25 April.
According to the decree, which was published in the Official Gazette, the renewal allows Egypt’s Armed Forces and police to take the necessary measures to confront the dangers and funding of terrorism.
The Armed Forces will also be responsible for taking the necessary steps to safeguard security across the country, protect public and private property, and save the lives of citizens.
According to the Constitution, presidential decisions to extend the State of Emergency must be approved by the country’s parliament.
The State of Emergency, which was first declared in April 2017 after two deadly church bombings that killed dozens of people, has been extended on the grounds of fighting terrorism. It was also put in place to help implement development programmes in a stable climate, and more recently to help contain the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Since the government first announced that a State of Emergency would be put in place, it has been applied for periods not exceeding three months, in accordance with the Egyptian Constitution.
