By Ebi Kesiena
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed admiration for the “convincing” triumph of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, who secured his third term with an overwhelming 89.6% of the votes.
In a statement, Putin stated, “The unequivocal success in the elections serves as unmistakable evidence of the global acknowledgment of your achievements in addressing socio-economic and foreign policy challenges in Egypt.”
Putin commended President al-Sissi for his “significant” role in fostering closer ties between their nations and reiterated his commitment to “ongoing collaboration.”
The rapport between Egypt and Russia has notably strengthened in recent years. In October 2018, President Sissi, a longstanding ally of the United States, inked a strategic cooperation agreement with Vladimir Putin.
Despite past tensions arising from the 2015 plane explosion in Sharm el-Sheikh, leading to a temporary strain in relations, the two countries rebounded. The tragic incident, claiming 224 lives, was attributed to terrorists.
By November 2015, an initial agreement was reached to construct Egypt’s inaugural nuclear power station, a project currently in progress.
At the age of 69, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi is set to commence his new term in April, marking his presumed final tenure according to the Egyptian Constitution.
Given the anticipated outcome, with President al-Sissi, a stalwart leader, continuing in office for the remainder of his term, the election results were largely expected.’
