CAIRO, April 02, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday expressed pride and endearment of the Egyptian people for having reflected their free will and for having prioritised this will over any personal leanings or interests. In a nationally-televised speech last night after being declared winner of the 2018 presidential race, President Sisi paid tribute to the people of Egypt for having intensively participated in the electoral process. He also pledged to spare no effort for the good of the country and to keep upholding the resolve to achieve development and realise stability. Addressing the Egyptian people, President Sisi said that it was in a feeling of pride and endearment that he closely followed up the images of citizens gathering at polling stations. Such fascinating images, he added, reflected the rallying together of citizens to reassert abidance by the national path for survival and building. The president asserted that he takes great pride in the Egyptian people and has firm confidence in the genius of the Egyptian nation. "My national choices of siding all the time with the will of the Egyptians have emanated from that confidence. I believe that we are a great nation that feels the truth as much as it can feel the untruthfulness of those who trade with its dreams and future," the president said in his speech. In the same address, President Sisi expressed thanks and appreciation for his rival Moussa Mustafa Moussa for having honourably contested the presidential race. For his part, Moussa gave a press conference in which he congratulated President Sisi over winning the election and hailed him as the right person in the right place. He also pledged to rally behind President Sisi and wished him all success. President Sisi hailed the Armed Forces and the civilian Police for having provided maximum security for people during the elections. He also lauded the judges for having made it possible to conduct the voting under full judicial oversight. President Sisi's address came in a televised speech he gave a few hours after the National Election Authority (NEA) had announced the final, official results of the presidential elections. At a huge press conference given at the State Information Service premises in the afternoon yesterday, the Chairman of the NEA, Justice Lasheen Ibrahim, announced that President Sisi had won a second four-year term after winning 21,835,387 votes with a 97.08 percentage. President Sisi's rival Moussa Mostafa Moussa won 656,534 votes in the polls with a 2.92 percentage, Justice Ibrahim announced. A total of 24,254,152 voters in and outside Egypt, representing 41.05% of eligible voters, cast their ballots, the NEA chief said. The number of eligible voters stands at 59,078,138. Valid votes reached 22, 491, 921, representing 92.73 per cent while invalid votes stood at 1,762,231, representing 7.27 per cent. Justice Ibrahim said the Egyptians stood in long queues at polling stations inside and outside Egypt to cast their ballots creating an epic participation in love of Egypt. The NEA head said the Egyptians abroad voted in 139 polling stations in 124 countries raising high the Egyptian flag in reflection of their feelings of profound belongingness to their homeland and asserting that the love of their country is in their hearts everywhere and all the time. Millions participated in the elections inside Egypt until the last hours of the third and final day of the polls despite bad weather conditions and shouted patriotic slogans in expression of their love to their country, Justice Ibrahim said. The voters, he added, were welcomed by Egypt's judges, the Armed Forces and the Police, he said. Right after the official announcement of the election results, thousands of Egyptians took to the streets, celebrating President Sisi's win in the election. They gathered in main squares nationwide, raising the national flag and singing and chanting patriotic slogans. Following the announcement of the final results, President Sisi received congratulations from world leaders. US President Donald Trump telephoned President Sisi to congratulate him. In the call, the two leaders affirmed the strategic partnership between the US and Egypt, the White House said in a statement reported by Reuters. President Sisi received a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulating him on winning the presidential election and expressing hope to boost mutually beneficial co-operation in every area. "Russia values strategic partnership with Egypt. I expect that our joint efforts will advance mutually beneficial cooperation in every area, as well as the coordination of activities at the global and regional level, particularly in countering global security threats. Undoubtedly, it is in the best interest of our countries' people," Putin said. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz held a phone conversation with President Sisi, congratulating him on his re-election for a new presidential term, the Saudi news agency (SPA) said. The Saudi king expressed the congratulations of the Saudi people and government, saying that this landslide win of the Egyptian people's confidence comes as a result of distinguished efforts in the developmental field and countering terrorism. Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman also sent a cable of congratulations to President Sisi on his re-election for a second term. UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan also sent a cable of congratulations to President Sisi on his election for a second term. The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also cabled President Sisi, expressing congratulations on his re-election. In the cable, the Kuwaiti emir wished President Sisi success in pursuing his developmental efforts and praised historical and distinguished relations that bind Egypt and Kuwait. Sultan Qaboos bin Said also sent a cable of congratulations to President Sisi, wishing him good health, happiness and success. He also wished Egypt further progress and development. President Sisi also received cables of congratulations from Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Czech President Miloš Zeman, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Tajikistani President Emomali Rahmon.
