Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Saturday that a renewed state of emergency comes under the armed forces' efforts to fight terrorism, nearly a week after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi extended the measure, in place since 2017, for a further three months. In an address on Saturday to the House of Representatives to justify the renewed state of emergency, Madbouly said that implementing the state of emergency is part of supporting state institutions in completing developmental plans nationwide. According to parliament's internal bylaws (Article 131), the House must be informed by the prime minister within one week of the date of declaring a state of emergency, and the decree must be supported by justifications for the extension. Madbouly praised efforts exerted by security forces in fighting crime and trans-national terrorism, which he described as dangerous to national security. He said that, due to such efforts, the country has achieved major steps in accomplishing the stability required for development. According to Madbouly, the country has achieved the aspired balance between protection of freedoms and the demands of national security, to complete the armed forces' efforts in combating terrorism. Following the premier's address, the speaker Ali Abdel-Aal has referred the government's address to the House for review, with a vote expected on the state of emergency in its evening session. The state of emergency was implemented in April 2017 following deadly twin attacks on two churches which killed dozens. It has been renewed ever since. Last week, El-Sisi issued a further three-month renewal, starting on 25 April. The decision allows security forces to “take [measures] necessary to confront the dangers and funding of terrorism and safeguard security in all parts of the country,” read a presidential decree published in the official state gazette last week.
