Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended on Monday the opening session of the Egypt Forum 2026, held at the St. Regis Hotel conference center in the New Capital.
The session was supported with a series of recorded messages featuring Dr. Magdi Yacoub, engineering expert Hany Azer, journalist Mohamed Ali Kheir, Mohamed Mustafa Sherdy, writer Ibrahim Eissa, and broadcaster Azza Mustafa.
In the videos, they shared their expectations for the Egypt Forum 2026, its potential outcomes, and what Egypt stands to gain from the event.
The Forum also presented a video featuring citizens responding to a simple question: “What would you say to President El-Sisi?”
The responses varied widely. Some citizens expressed gratitude to President El-Sisi for major housing projects, such as Al-Asmarat neighborhood, alongside new universities and broader development initiatives. Others called for job creation, pension and social security enhancements, healthcare improvements, support for small businesses, and a push toward full digital transformation.
All questions will be addressed, PM says
In his remarks, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated that all questions submitted by citizens through the forum’s website have been compiled and will be addressed with complete transparency throughout the event.
“Among the inquiries received are the following pressing questions: What is the government’s plan regarding the national debt? Was the New Administrative Capital a priority? Were major transportation projects truly essential, or should resources have gone to education and healthcare instead? All these questions have been documented and will be thoroughly discussed,” Madbouly said.
He added that authorities have identified several top concerns among youth, including education, inflation and commodity prices, healthcare services, wages and pensions, safety and stability, and the labor market. Based on these insights, the forum’s sessions have been structured to span multiple days.
Importance of national memory
During his address at the opening session of the Egypt Forum, the President emphasized that the priority throughout the forum’s preparation was for the government to provide accurate, comprehensive data, listen to and discuss all viewpoints, and remain open to constructive criticism.
He also underscored the importance of public awareness and the need to counter attempts, particularly on social media, to dismantle the national memory, noting that such efforts were already underway in the lead-up to 2014.
The President stressed that attempts to influence a pivotal nation with a large population, or to marginalize and undermine its role, will not cease, adding that this will remain a struggle for both the state and the people.
President El-Sisi explained that his frequent references to the events of 2011 are intended to evoke national memory and awareness while highlighting the vital importance of preserving the Egyptian state, especially for children and young people who did not live through that period.
He noted that while differences in perspective are acceptable, preserving the state itself remains a fundamental boundary that cannot be crossed.
“Anything can change and improve as long as we live on our own land. Protecting the country is the most important thing, regardless of any differences in our viewpoints,” El-Sisi said.
Stability came at a heavy cost, El-Sisi
The President pointed out that the stability achieved in recent years came at a heavy cost, a price paid in blood. He noted that Egypt has made immense sacrifices, most notably the lives of martyrs from the armed forces, the police, and the judiciary, as well as worshippers targeted in mosques and churches. This is alongside the substantial financial resources spent to secure stability and combat terrorism.
“The stability the country has achieved did not come without a price; we paid a very high cost, one involving human sacrifice, not just financial loss. We still remember the chaos, instability, and looting that took place during 2012 and 2013,” the President said.
President El-Sisi reiterated the importance of remembering the period of severe insecurity between 2011 and 2013, emphasizing the importance of stability to Egyptians.
Addressing points raised during the session regarding the risks of social media, the President emphasized that moderation is essential in all aspects of life. This is particularly crucial given ongoing attempts to isolate individuals and manipulate or incite segments of the population toward the destruction of their own country.
The President highlighted the responsibility resting on Egyptian families to strike a balance between embracing technological progress and supervising their children’s use of digital tools.
He further explained that the forum aims to review initiatives across various state sectors, showcasing conditions both before and after development, and to offer citizens a clear view of the progress made.
This includes efforts to resolve long-standing, complex challenges within the limits of available resources, ultimately reassuring citizens about the state of their nation.
The President noted that “while individuals come and go, Egypt will remain!”
The President noted that in recent years, the Egyptian people have embarked on a genuine phase of state-building.
He acknowledged that while the risks involved in these decisions were high, they were necessary, especially given Egypt’s population growth, which has risen by nearly 30 million people since 2011.
The President urged citizens to pay close attention to the details and data presented throughout the forum due to their direct impact on the public. “I am not against scientific and technological progress, but Egyptian families must strike a balance when it comes to their children’s use of social media.”
He indicated that the government will use the sessions to outline its achievements to date, the potential consequences if these measures had not been taken, and the outlook for the future.
“The goal of this forum is for us to listen carefully, throughout our discussions, to all the details surrounding topics that directly impact your life, as well as the lives of your children and grandchildren in the future”, El-Sisi concluded.