Presidential media adviser, Ahmed El-Moslimany, met on Monday with a number of youth representatives in light of his New Leaders campaign. The campaign was launched by El-Moslimany on 1 September to create and shed light on youth leaders nationwide. During the meeting, youth representatives proposed to El-Moslimany the idea of creating a National Youth Council. Tamer Gomaa, member of Al-Dostour Party's high board who attended Monday's meeting, said El-Moslimany welcomed the idea. Gomaa stated that the council would include three types of youth: political parties' youth, members of youth movements, and independent youth professionals. The council would propose youth projects to the government and the legislative authority. It would also monitor the government's performance. "It would be an independent council from the government," Gomaa said. "It would include committees for women, children and civil society." Gomaa stated that the youth representatives asked El-Moslimany to get interim President Adly Mansour to issue a presidential decree announcing the formation of the council. He said such a decision would not influence the council's independence, but would give it a proper legal status. Gomaa said the National Youth Council complies with El-Moslimany's New Youth campaign. "Youth figures should take the political lead now," Gomaa said, adding that this falls under the roadmap announced by general commander of the armed forces Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi following the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi on 3 July. The meeting also included representatives from the Democratic Front Party, Al-Umma Party, Al-Wafd Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) and the Free Egyptians Party (FEP), reported state-run news agency MENA. El-Moslimany launched the New Leaders campaign following a meeting with Al-Taggamu Party's leaders at the party's headquarters on 1 September. El-Moslimany has been holding meetings with different political movements to discuss the roadmap and possible constitutional amendments. He met with former presidential candidate Amr Moussa, Nasserist Party head and Lawyers' Syndicate head Sameh Ashour, Al-Wafd Party head El-Sayyed El-Badawy, Al-Nour Party leaders, Al-Taggamu Party leaders and the Tamarod campaign to exchange views over the political and economic situation in Egypt.
