United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday he trusts that Egypt's president-elect Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi will do everything possible to support the Egyptian people's aspirations for a "stable, democratic and prosperous Egypt." In a statement issued by the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson, Ban asserted the UN's commitment to remain fully engaged in supporting Egypt. "The Secretary-General notes that democracy is inextricably linked with the three pillars of the United Nations -- peace and security, development and human rights -- and urges Egyptian authorities to strengthen democratic institutions and practices," the statement noted. The international organisation's top official accentuated the necessity of "fostering long-term security and stability" through peaceful dialogue and contestation, along with creating a conducive environment for good governance, development and protecting human rights. On Tuesday, the Presidential Elections Commission (PEC) declared al-Sisi Egypt's new president, confirming that he won 23.78 million votes (96.91 percent of the valid ballots) in the 26-28 May election. al-Sisi's sole contender, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, collected a modest 757,511 of the votes (3.9 percent). al-Sisi is expected to be inaugurated on Saturday or a few days later, according to sources who spoke with Ahram Online. Source: Ahram Online
