President of Egypt

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi is the 6th President of Egypt, in office since 8 June 2014. A career army intelligence officer who served as Egypt’s Minister of Defence (2012–2014), Sisi led the 3 July 2013 military coup that overthrew elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, and was elected president in May 2014 with 96.9%. He won re-election in 2018 (97.1%) and for a third term on 18 December 2023 with an officially reported 89.6% of the vote. A 2019 constitutional referendum extended presidential terms from four to six years and allowed him to stand again, potentially keeping him in office until 2030.

His tenure is dominated by a severe economic crisis (currency devalued by roughly 65% against the dollar since 2022, IMF programmes totalling over \$8 billion), the post-October 2023 role as Gaza’s southern gatekeeper and leading regional mediator, and a dramatic crackdown on civil society and opposition that Human Rights Watch describes as the worst in Egypt’s modern history.

Early life and military career

Sisi was born on 19 November 1954 in the working-class Cairo neighbourhood of El-Gamaleya. He graduated from the Egyptian Military Academy in 1977 and trained in the United Kingdom and the United States, including a year at the U.S. Army War College (2006). He served as Director of Military Intelligence (2010–2012) and — in a move that surprised many observers — was promoted to Defence Minister and Commander-in-Chief by President Morsi in August 2012.

2013 coup and 2014 presidency

Following mass protests against Morsi in late June 2013, Sisi issued a 48-hour ultimatum; when it expired on 3 July 2013 he led the military in removing Morsi from office, suspending the Morsi-era constitution, and installing Supreme Constitutional Court chief Adly Mansour as interim president. The August 2013 dispersal of Brotherhood sit-ins at Rabaa al-Adawiya and Al-Nahda Squares left at least 817 protesters killed — Human Rights Watch called it the worst mass killing in Egypt’s modern history. Sisi resigned his military rank in March 2014 to contest the presidency.

Economy and GCC dependence

Egypt’s external debt has roughly tripled under Sisi to over \$160 billion by early 2026. Mega-projects — including the new administrative capital east of Cairo (the “New Administrative Capital”), the 2015 Suez Canal expansion, and the Dabaa nuclear plant — have strained public finances. A February 2024 \$35 billion Ras El-Hekma deal with the UAE, combined with a fourth IMF programme (\$8 billion, March 2024), briefly stabilised the pound after three successive devaluations in 2022–2024.

Gaza and foreign policy

Since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, Sisi has positioned Egypt as the essential Arab mediator — co-sponsoring the November 2023 hostage pause, the January 2025 ceasefire, and the 13 October 2025 Sharm El Sheikh peace summit that formalised the ceasefire framework. Egypt has refused Israeli calls to open Rafah for mass displacement of Palestinians into Sinai and has boosted forces along the border. Sisi has maintained close ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, while balancing European and US relationships. Egypt joined BRICS in January 2024.

Human rights

Freedom House rates Egypt 18 out of 100 — among the lowest in the Mediterranean. An estimated 60,000+ political prisoners are held; civil society groups operate under severe restrictions under the 2017 NGO Law. High-profile detainees include dual UK-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah (released September 2025 after a 13-year campaign). Independent media are tightly controlled; Reporters Without Borders ranks Egypt among the world’s top jailers of journalists.

Mohamed Morsy, Former President of Egypt (since June 30, 2012)

Mohamed Morsi Isa El-Ayyat (born August 20, 1951) is the fifth and current President of Egypt, having assumed office June 30, 2012. Morsi was a Member of Parliament in the People’s Assembly of Egypt from 2000 to 2005 and a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood. He became Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), a political party, when it was founded by the Muslim Brotherhood in the wake of the 2011 Egyptian revolution. He stood as the FJP’s candidate for the May–June 2012 presidential election. On June 24, 2012, the election commission announced that Morsi won Egypt’s presidential runoff against Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under deposed leader Hosni Mubarak. According to official results, Morsi took 51.7 percent of the vote while Shafiq received 48.3. As he had promised during his campaign, Morsi resigned from his position as the head of the FJP after his victory was announced. He is the first civilian to hold the office. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Morsi

Hosny Mubarak, President of Egypt (President Mubarak resigned on Feb 11, 2011. Power was taken over by the Armed Forces Supreme Council)

President Hosny Mubarak was born in Al-Menoufiyah governorate, located in the heart of Egypt, in the Delta area. Upon his completion of high school, Mr. Mubarak joined the Egyptian Military Academy, where he received his Bachelor Degree in Military Sciences. In 1950, Mr. Mubarak joined the Air Force Academy and earned his Bachelor in Aviation Sciences. Since then he has held many command positions in the Egyptian Air Force as a Pilot, Instructor, Squadron Leader and Base Commander. In 1964, Mr. Mubarak headed the Egyptian Military delegation to the USSR and was appointed as the Commander of the Western Air Force Base, at Cairo West Airfield. During the period from 1967 to 1972, he was appointed as the Director of the Air Force Academy and Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Air Force, and remained in this post until 1972 when he became Commander of the Air Force and Deputy Minister for Military Affairs. In October 1973, he was promoted to the rank of Air Marshall. In April 1975, Mr. Mubarak was named as Vice president of Egypt and was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), in 1978.

Video of Hosni Mubarak’s final speech before his resignation:

In 1981, Mr. Mubarak became President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Chairman of the National Democratic Party. President Mubarak was re-elected by majority votes in 1987,1993, and 1999 for three successive terms. In recognition of his international leading role, President Mubarak was elected twice as the Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), during the periods of 1989-1990 and 1993-1994. He has been, also, awarded various local and international prizes such as the Armour of the “Man of Peace” (1983),  Prize of “Personality of the Year” (1984), Prize of “Man of the Year 1984” (1985), The Medal of the Astrolabe (1989), Prize of Democratic Human Rights  (1990),  Membership and Decoration “Honoris Causa” (1991),  UN Prize of Population (1994). Nationally, President Mubarak was awarded numerous Egyptian Civilian and Military Decorations such as Decoration of the Nile, Decoration of the Republic, Decoration of the Republic of the First Order, Decoration of Merit of the First Order, Decoration of Work of the First Order, Decoration of Sciences and Arts of the First Order, Decoration of Sports of the First Order, Memorial Decoration of Merit of the First Order, Memorial Decoration of Excellence of the First Order, Decoration of the Sinai Star of the First Order,  Order of the Star of Honor, Military Star Medal, Military Decoration of the Republic of the First Order, Military Decoration for Courage of the First Order, Military Decoration for Duty of the First Order. President Mubarak is married to Mrs. Suzanne Thabet, first lady of Egypt, and they have two sons, Alaa and Gamal as well as two grandsons.