Egypt celebrates Independence Day 28 February 2023
By Joy Osiagwu
History
Egypt is a nation in Northeast Africa at the Mediterranean Sea and the Sinai Peninsula and the southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula with a total land area of 1 001 450km and a total coastline of 2,450km. It is one of the largest countries in Africa and the 30th biggest in the world. Egypt has about 30 islands.
It has direct national borders with three neighboring countries- Libya, Israel, and Sudan. Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the country. In contrast, Alexandria, the second largest city, is a significant industrial and tourist hub at the Mediterranean cost and home to Ottoman landmarks like the Muhammad Ali Mosque and the Egyptian Museum, with a trove of antiquities and a population of 103.3 million. The country’s link with the Middle East dates to the time of the pharaohs. The official language of Egypt is Arabic. Egypt is the 14th -most populated country, with approximately 100 million inhabitants.
In 1517, Egypt became a province of the Ottoman Empire after the Turks conquered the nation. However, the flawed economic system and the effects of the plague left the country vulnerable to foreign invasion. The Portuguese traders took over their trade, and the nation experienced six famines between 1687 and 1731.
Modern Egyptian history dates back to 1922, when it attained independence from the British as a monarchy after the 1952 revolution and the issuance of a Unilateral Declaration of Independence on February 28, 1922, by the British government. The country declared itself a republic and merged with Syria to create the United Arab Republic. Which was dissolved in 1961.
In the 1950s, President Gamal Abdul Nasser pioneered Arab nationalism and the non-aligned movement.
His successor Anwar Sadat made peace with Israel and returned to the West. While best known for its pyramids and ancient civilizations, Egypt has played a significant role in the political situation within the region in modern times.
Its three wars with Israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973, then its eventual peace with its adversary in 1979, have seen Egypt move from being a warring nation to becoming a key representative in the peace process.
The position of the presidency of the country was created in 1952, and Mohammed Naguib became the first to hold the position in 1953.
However, before 2005, the Parliament decided on a candidate for the presidency, and the electorate voted, in a referendum, on whether or not to approve the proposed candidate. But after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, a new presidential election was conducted in 2012. It was described as the first free and fair election in the political history of Egypt. As a result, President Mohamed Morsi Eissa al-Ayaat became the fifth president of Egypt on June 30, 2012.
However, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi removed him from office in a coup d’état after dissatisfaction with the excesses of the Muslim Brotherhood government in 2013. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was elected and sworn in officially as head of state on June 8, 2014, after the presidential election.
Current Governance Structure.
The political system in Egypt is based on republicanism, with a semi-presidential system of government. The governance structure was established in 2013 after the Egyptian military coup d’état, and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emerged. The system is designed to elect a president for a six-year term.
Trending News
The Egyptian government targets growth in GDP Worth 5-6 per cent in the fiscal year 2024-2025, with a 2.1 per cent in primary surplus in 2023-2024.
Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouli, disclosed Monday, January 30 at the opening of the 7th Annual MENA Investor Conference 2023 while addressing investors, international investment institutions and banks including a large number of local investors. He said the country also plans to lower its debt-to-GDP ratio by 78 per cent by 2026-2027 while highlighting the importance of debt management.
Egypt today reports that the prime minister reiterated the government’s commitment to the new economic reform program supported by the International Monetary FUND (IMF).
In addition, the government is also expanding the social safety networks and structural reforms to deal with the challenges and work towards a positive outlook for 2023.
The Egyptian Canadian Cultural Association of Ottawa
The Egyptian Canadian Cultural Association of Ottawa (ECCAO) is adding positive value to the Canadian mosaic by promoting its culture in the Capital region.
The organization was incorporated in 1984 by 12 Egyptian Canadian men and women living in the National Capital Region
Mission & Vision
Mission: Leverage the abilities, willingness, and passion of its members to advance the community’s cultural, social and political standing, fostering cohesion and integration with other communities within the fabric of Canadian society.
Vision
A united and inclusive organization for Egyptian Canadians and friends, adding value to the members and the larger community while maintaining strong ties to Egypt.
Values: These serve as guidelines for members’ conduct and behavior, describe culture and priorities and provide a framework in which decisions are made to achieve the vision.
Identity: To foster the identity of the Egyptian individual and community in Ottawa.
Interaction: To foster interaction within the Egyptian community in Ottawa.
Cooperation: To promote ties and collaboration between ECCAO and other Associations in Canada.
Education: To educate the community about Egyptian Heritage and Culture.
Ties: To maintain and strengthen relations between Egyptian communities in Canada and Egypt.
The Egyptian Canadian Cultural Association of Ottawa (ECCAO) was incorporated in 1984 and governed its Constitution. The Constitution was revised and updated in 2017.
The ECCAO experienced the World Multicultural Festival in November last year at the Horticulture Building in Lansdowne Park, Ottawa. In addition, members of the Association meet regularly at various events organized for multiple ages in the community to get to know each other and celebrate their Egyptian heritage.
Board of Directors of ECCAO 2022
- Khaled Badawi- President
- Maha Gawdat -Vice President
- Ziad Aly- Secretary
- George Tadros- Treasurer
- Peter Ibrahim- Cultural Director
- Asser ELgindy Social Director
- Salma Abouseada-Youth Director
Contact: Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
Voicemail: (613) 699-6467 [email protected]
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Joy Osiagwu is a Project Officer with Black History Ottawa. She has over two decades of experience as a broadcast journalist in Nigeria and North America. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom, plus a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Performing Arts from the Columbia Academy, Vancouver, British Columbia.