Egypt is complicated. If you've been following the Middle East for more than five minutes, you know that the present president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, isn't just a politician—he’s a shift in the country's entire trajectory. He didn't just walk into the presidential palace by accident. It’s been a wild ride since 2013. Some folks see him as a stabilizer who pulled the nation back from the brink of a civil war, while others look at the economic shifts and the human rights record and see a very different story. Honestly, it’s hard to find a middle ground when people talk about him, but to understand Egypt today, you have to look at the guy at the top without the usual political fluff.
The story really starts with the chaos of the post-2011 revolution era. It was messy. After the Muslim Brotherhood’s short-lived stint in power, el-Sisi—then a military man—stepped in.
Who is Abdel Fattah el-Sisi anyway?
Before he was the present president of Egypt, el-Sisi was a career military officer. That’s a huge deal because in Egypt, the military isn't just a defense force; it's a massive economic and social pillar. He studied in the US at the Army War College in Pennsylvania, which is kinda funny when you think about how complex the US-Egypt relationship has become lately. He was the youngest member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) during the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak.
He’s not a loud talker. Unlike some of the firebrand leaders of the past, he’s got this soft-spoken, almost fatherly way of delivering speeches. He calls Egyptians "the light of his eyes." But don't let the tone fool you. The guy is as tough as they come when it matters to his vision of national security.
The Big Move in 2013
Remember the protests on June 30? Millions of people were in the streets. They wanted Mohamed Morsi out. As the defense minister, el-Sisi gave the government an ultimatum. When it wasn't met, he removed Morsi from power. Depending on who you ask, it was either a "popularly backed coup" or a "second revolution." The aftermath was bloody, specifically the Rabaa al-Adawiya square dispersal, which Human Rights Watch and other groups have documented extensively. It remains a dark, heavy cloud over his early years in power.
Why the New Administrative Capital is a big deal
If you want to understand what the present president of Egypt wants for the future, you have to look at the desert. Specifically, about 30 miles east of Cairo. He’s building a whole new city. It’s huge. It’s flashy. It’s got the tallest skyscraper in Africa and a massive cathedral.
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Critics call it a "vanity project." They say the money should have gone to schools or hospitals in the crumbling neighborhoods of Old Cairo. But el-Sisi sees it differently. He argues that Cairo is choking. With 20 million people, the old capital is basically a permanent traffic jam. The New Administrative Capital (NAC) is his attempt to hit the "reset" button on Egyptian urban life. It’s a "smart city," but it’s also a fortress of sorts, moving the government away from the volatile streets of downtown Cairo where protests usually start.
The Debt Problem
Look, we have to talk about the money. Egypt is broke-adjacent right now. The debt has ballooned because of these massive infrastructure projects. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) has stepped in multiple times with billion-dollar loans. To get that cash, el-Sisi had to devalue the Egyptian pound.
If you’re a regular person in Giza or Alexandria, life got really expensive, really fast. Meat became a luxury for many families. The present president of Egypt often tells people they need to endure and sacrifice for the sake of the "New Republic," but that’s a hard pill to swallow when your grocery bill triples in two years.
Security vs. Freedom: The Eternal Egyptian Debate
El-Sisi’s main selling point has always been "security." After 2013, Egypt dealt with a nasty insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula. ISIS-affiliated groups were blowing up churches and attacking soldiers. He went full force against them. Today, Sinai is much quieter, and that’s a win he highlights constantly.
But the cost has been high.
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- Thousands of political prisoners.
- Strict laws on NGOs.
- A media landscape that is, well, pretty much all on the same page as the government.
- Blocked websites and restricted protests.
Human rights organizations like Amnesty International have been screaming into the void about this for a decade. The government’s response is usually that they are fighting terrorism and trying to keep a country of 110 million people from becoming the next Syria or Libya. They prioritize "social rights"—like housing and food—over "political rights." Whether you agree with that trade-off usually depends on whether you have a full stomach or a family member in jail.
The Suez Canal Expansion
One of his first "mega-projects" was the expansion of the Suez Canal. He did it in a year. Experts said it would take five. He bypassed the usual slow-moving bureaucracy by asking Egyptians to buy investment bonds to fund it. It was a massive pride point. While it didn't immediately double the country's income like some of the hype suggested, it did prove that the Egyptian state could still move fast when it wanted to.
Relationships on the World Stage
The present president of Egypt is a master at playing the field. He’s got a "strategic partnership" with the US, but he’s also tight with Putin. He buys Rafale jets from France and gets massive investment deals from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The relationship with the US is especially weird. Under Trump, he was famously called "my favorite dictator" (a comment that was meant as a joke but landed like a lead balloon). Under Biden and into the current 2026 landscape, the tone shifted to "calculated cooperation." The US needs Egypt to keep the peace with Israel and manage the Gaza border, so they tend to go easy on the human rights stuff when things get heated in the region.
The GERD Crisis
There’s this thing called the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). It’s an existential threat to Egypt. Ethiopia built a massive dam on the Blue Nile, and Egypt is terrified it will dry up their water supply. El-Sisi has been trying to use diplomacy to fix it, but it’s a stalemate. For a leader who stakes his reputation on national strength, not being able to force Ethiopia's hand is a sore spot.
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What’s Next for Egypt?
El-Sisi won another term in the late 2023 elections, which means he’s set to lead for a while longer. The focus is shifting slightly from just building "big stuff" to trying to manage the inflation crisis. There’s a push for more "Ras el-Hekma" style deals—basically selling or leasing massive chunks of land to foreign investors (like the $35 billion deal with the UAE) to bring in hard currency.
It's a gamble. He's betting that by the time the "New Republic" is finished, the economic pain will be forgotten.
How to Track Egyptian Progress
If you're looking to see if things are actually getting better under the present president of Egypt, don't just look at the GDP numbers. Those can be misleading. Keep an eye on the "black market" exchange rate for the dollar—that's the real measure of how people trust the economy. Also, watch the wheat prices. Egypt is the world's largest wheat importer. If people can't afford bread, the "stability" el-Sisi promised becomes very fragile.
To get a real sense of what's happening, you should follow local independent outlets (the few that remain) like Mada Masr, while also checking the official state statements from the State Information Service (SIS). The truth usually sits somewhere uncomfortably in the middle.
Practical Steps for Following Egyptian News
- Monitor the IMF reviews: These reports provide the most honest look at Egypt's actual bank balance.
- Check regional investment news: Watch for how much the Gulf states are pumping into Egyptian real estate; it's a barometer for el-Sisi's regional support.
- Follow the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights: They provide a rare glimpse into what's actually happening in the military zones away from the Cairo cameras.
- Watch the Nile negotiations: Any movement on the dam issue with Ethiopia will be the defining foreign policy moment of this decade.