Egypt proclaimed independence from the UK in 1922 after a series of revolts. Since the establishment of the Republic in 1956, Egypt has been ruled mainly by authoritarian military figures. Egypt’s rulers have fought to suppress both democratic change and Islamic extremism, instead adopting an ideology of secular nationalism. Inter-state conflicts in Egypt’s history include a number of wars against Israel (1948/1949, 1967, and 1972) and the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. A peace agreement in 1979 ended the conflict with Israel.
Egypt was at the heart of the 2011 Arab Spring, in which President Hosni Mubarak who had ruled for 30 years, was deposed. This led to Egypt’s first democratic election in 2012 in which Muslim Brotherhood candidate Muhamed Morsi was elected President. However, the following year, popular protests and a military coup toppled Morsi and led to the banning of the Muslim Brotherhood. Members and supporters of the prohibited Muslim Brotherhood and the affiliated former ruling Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) clashed repeatedly with security forces and supporters of President al-Sisi between 2013 and 2014, leading to hundreds of deaths and ongoing tensions. There is a growing concern for Egypt’s internal resolution of conflicts and the intra-state wars have raised human rights issues. In March 2014, the UNHRC released a report stating concern about the use of violence by the Egyptian government. Critics are concerned Sisi has undermined freedoms gained after the uprising that ended Mubarak’s 30-year rule. Today, Egyptians face harsh authoritarian rule under President al-Sisi who has cracked down on any forms of political dissent.
On another front, a limited war between Islamist groups Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) and Ajnad Misr (AM) in the Sinai Peninsula and the government also continues. These groups frequently carry out attacks on policemen and soldiers in North Sinai and ABM has even recently pledged allegiance to ISIS. In 2014 the Cairo Urgent Matters Court declared ABM and AM terrorist organizations. There is also a threat faced by Ansar al-Islam in Egypt’s western desert, which has led to terrorist attacks against security forces since 2017, and the increasing presence of ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula.
Peace attempts:
Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel is one of the world’s most renowned agreements, signed in 1979 following the 1978 Camp David Accords. Due to the accords, reached after 12 days of negotiations, Egyptian President Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize and the final agreement saw Egypt become the first Arab state to officially recognize Israel.
Since then, Egypt has been known to take a leadership role in some regional peace negotiations. For example, Egypt’s attempt to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas has been recognized, and Egypt was instrumental in mediating between the two parties during the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange of 2011. Egypt continues to play a critical role in meditation today in the region, specifically between Israel and Hamas. Egypt also played host to the League of Arab States summit in March 2015, at which the UN and the league pledged cooperation on counter-terrorism and the Middle East Peace Process.
Most concerns for Egypt’s peace and security revolve around internal politics and protests. Egypt has been without a parliament since June 2012, when a court dissolved the democratically elected main chamber, and elections (originally scheduled for March 2015) were delayed, with al-Sisi promising to hold them before the end of the year. Al-Sisi, after arresting his challengers, won re-election and since 2018 has instated laws to combat extremism (utilizing violent and unchecked methods) and extended his presidential term. In 2019, the government passed constitutional amendments to expand the president’s power, expand military power, and undermine the judiciary.
