Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and His Foreign Policy - Case Study Example

The Foreign Policy of Egypt Under the New President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi The main aim of a state’s foreign policy is to not only to protect the sovereignty, but also the national security of a state in addition to maximizing its vital regional, as well as international interests. In tandem with this assertion, foreign policy should be guided by two things; the sources that could alter national security and the manner in which foreign policy could be used to protect national as well as international interests. In relation to the topic of this research paper, the paper will expound on the foreign policy of Egypt. The foreign policy of Egypt is claimed to have followed certain dictates because of not only historical, but also geostrategic considerations. In support of this claim, one can argue that Egypt relies significantly on the Nile River that originates from places outside its borders and forms the main basis of its agricultural production. The Nile flows in the opposite direction with the wind; it flows from south to north whereas the wind blows from north to south enhancing sailing which unites Egypt. In order to protect the Nile, Egypt’s foreign policy has to overcome the geographic challenges that often extend its narrow Nile corridor. In connection with this assertion, the paper will expound specifically on the foreign policy of Egypt under the new president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. In addressing this, the paper will expound on the domestic and external strategies employed by Sisi. External and domestic strategies Realism, a theory by Morgenthau is regarded as the most coherent as well as a consistent theory of international relations. According to this theory, states have specific reasons for behaving the way they do. In relation to this assertion, Morgenthau claims that the inherent, as well as the immutable self-interested nature of humans, when experiencing a structure of international anarchy makes a state maximizes one element referred to as power (Smith 15). The association of power with national interest explains why states behave in a specific way. Realism theory will aid significantly in expounding about the domestic and external strategies employed by Sisi’s regime. According to (Darwisheh 57), “Sisi’s foreign policy of regime consolidation goes together with the outright repression of domestic opposition.” The main domestic opposition in Egypt is the Muslim Brotherhood. Sisi foreign policy is also associated with the repositioning of the armed forces as guardians to protect internal and external actors from undermining the Egyptian state through their works. In addition to this, Sisi called the Egyptians not only to go to the streets, but also to all public squares within Egypt to call on the army to deal with violence and terrorism (Darwisheh 57). In relation to this assertion, Darwisheh argues that Sisi regime managed to do away with the Muslim Brotherhood and taking control of all its social welfare institutions, schools, and clinics. Sisi,s regime is also associated with linking any terrorist groups in Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood in order to silence critics as well as force them to haggle political freedom for both security and stability. For instance, the Sisi’s regime associated the police and military attacks by the Johadist group under Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis with the Muslim Brotherhood. In relation to this assertion, some Egyptian media reported that the late October 2014 attacks on the military checkpoints that resulted in the death of 31 Egyptian soldiers were planned as well as executed by former army officers who were associated with the Muslim Brotherhood (Darwisheh 58). From this assertion, one can deduce that almost all attacks in Egypt under Sisi’s regime are linked to terrorism and not instability. Sisi just like Morsi adopted an active foreign policy that was controlled by domestic opposition to his leadership. As a result of this, Sisi’s regime required close alliance with other states such as Saudi Arabia, UAE as well as Kuwait in order to be able to counteract the Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters. In relation to this assertion, Saudi Arabia supported Sisi because of two objectives; to make Egypt a bulwark not only against political Islam such as the Brotherhood, but also to prevent Iranian influence that is significant in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Sisi has also increased coordination between Egypt and Saudi Arabia by deploying the Egyptian military to protect the Saudi borders. Increasing and widening Egypt’s global options For long Egypt was known for dealing with the varying pattern of the international system in a manner that aids it achieves its own interests. However, the America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan together with the 2008 and 2009 global economic as well as financial crisis crippled its position in the global system. As a result of this, the attention of Egypt’s foreign policy has started to shift to other members of BRICS (Aly 5). Sisi has visited Moscow twice; as the defense minister as well as the President. In all these visits to Moscow, Sisi concluded a wide scope of agreements including the Agreement on the arms supplies. His main reason for paying his attention to other countries specifically Russia was to increase Egypt’s options in addition to dealing with pressures exerted on it by Western capitals concerning its capitals. According to Aly, Sisi expanded Egypt’s international relationship with the countries in the West such as the U.S. through working together with the West in fighting against terrorism. Egypt’s joining of the Alliance is also associated with it needing to counter terrorist organizations within its region (Aly 5). Restructuring Egypt’s GCC coalition The rate and the efficacy of the financial and political support Egypt received from Saudi Arabia as well as the UAE after the collapse of the Muslim Brotherhood strengthened the relationship between Egypt and its supporters. It is as a result of that support that Egypt highly regards its relations with the UAE and Saudi Arabia (Aldosary 2015). In relation to this, Sisi ensured he has restored the relationship between Egypt and the Arab Gulf states. The close association of Egypt with the Arab Gulf states enhanced the provision of economic assistance worth $20 billion to Egypt by the Arab Gulf states. Additionally, “the close relationship of Egypt with Arab Gulf states led to their establishment of a Free Trade Zone with Egypt” (Aly 5). The diplomatic activities in the Arab League, as well as other international and regional, are some of the factors that make Sisi work extensively towards ensuring the relationship between Egypt with Arab countries is well cemented. Restructuring the image of Egypt Another foreign policy of Egypt under the reign of President Sisi is to reform the image of Egypt in the world. Sisi aims at changing how the world regards Egypt as a religiously oriented state. He aims at making the world view Egypt as a civic, democratizing, as well as a reforming policy state. In connection with this, Sisi is working towards ensuring that Egypt has signed an agreement with IMF that will prove Egypt’s capabilities so as to attract investors, as well as tourists (Aly 5). Among the things that Sisi has focused on in his change on the image of Egypt to the world include ensuring that the Egyptian politics is focused on the management of the Egypt’s human and material wealth in addition to its poverty (Fahmy 2015). Sisi also advocates the creation of a regional security system in Egypt that rests on the Egyptian-Gulf alliance. In addition to this his quest for the country to focus on the future and not in the past contributes significantly to the change of the Egypt’s image to the world. Another effort put by Sisi towards repairing the image of Egypt include his Egypt’s economic objective. Under Sisi’s regime, the economy of Egypt has started to improve. This is portrayed by the rise of the Egyptian stock market to a level that was identified in 2011 (Aly 6). According to the estimation made by conservative, Egypt’s growth rate is likely to increase. The rise in the growth rate is a clear indication of the effort Sisi has put towards changing the image of Egypt in the world. Definition of the Egyptians According to Gordon, the quest of Sisi for the Egyptians to define themselves as a Egyptians and not Islamist is a clear indication of the step Sisi has taken towards ensuring that the teaching and practice of Islam has not led to the birth of a destructive ideology that has been threatening Egypt for many years (Gordon 1). In relation to his effort towards ensuring that Egypt is not guided by religious factors, the U.S. through President Obama to support the Egyptian government. Additionally, the reduction of the power of the Islamist movements through coming up with the principle of limiting the use of Islam in running activities in Egypt restored the Egyptian-American alliance (Gordon 1). In addition to this, the good relationship between Egypt and Israel is as a result of Sisi’s support of the peace with Israel. Sisi has extensively increased Egypt’s security cooperation with the Jewish state. Apart from this, Sisi regards the enemies of Israel such as MB, Hamas and their respective Islamist allies as threats to Egypt. This close association of Sisi with other States contributes significantly to his role as the President of Egypt; Egypt is likely to start importing natural gas from Israel. Sisi is also renown of portraying a unique character. Unlike many leaders, Sisi did not run away from internal problems that were taking place in Egypt to international issues. In addition to this, Sisi promised the external powers that he is in a position to control over internal issues such as security and living conditions. In addition to this, Sisi’s response to the interviews with world leaders shows his concern for Egypt and not attention. According to al-Rashed (2014), all these factors make the world perceive Sisi as a competent leader a practice that establishes his cooperation with other leaders in the world. Unpredictable Egypt-US ties The relationship of the U.S and Egypt has been unpredictable under al-Sisi administration. The loss of Sisi’s close connection with the U.S plays a very significant role to the Egyptian. Apart from enhancing it to have many states as friends, the unpredictable relationship makes the world perceive Egypt as a democratic state. In other words, the unpredictable conduct of Sisi improves the economy of Egypt through receiving military support from the US as well as improves its economic ties with other superpower nations such as Russia, China, and Germany. Additionally, Sisi’s prevention of the US from interfering in Egypt’s domestic affairs makes the world perceive Egypt as an independent state (Savir 2014). Tackling the Nile The building of the Nahdha Dam on the Nile poses a great challenge to Egypt that depends entirely on the Nile. In relation to this fact, the Egyptian foreign policy apparatus are not in a position to await the construction of the dam or the rebuilding of its state institutions. In order to combat this challenge, many efforts have been put towards protecting the national interest of Egypt. One of the strategies put by Sisi towards overcoming this challenge is evidenced by his firmness as well as flexibility portrayed in its soft-spoken strategy. His visit abroad as the Egypt’s President to attend the African Summit in Equatorial Guinea portrays his foreign policy priorities. In connection with this, the Egyptian minister of irrigation claimed that Sisi is ready to visit Ethiopia occasionally in order to ensure that Egypt’s share of Nile water is not reduced by the construction of the dam in Ethiopia (Aly 6). In conclusion, Egypt’s foreign policies have changed significantly under the leadership of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Apart from his tackling the Nile, which was threatened by the construction of Nahdha Dam in Ethiopia, his change of the image of Egypt to the world has played a very significant role. The restructuring Egypt’s GCC coalition in addition to increasing and widening Egypt’s global options are also some of the foreign policies that have been observed under the leadership of Sisi. Additionally, the unpredictable conduct of Sisi has also contributed significantly to Egypt’s diversification in terms of world friends. Works Cited Aldosary, Salman. Sisi: If Egypt Falls, So Does the Middle East. Asharq Al-Awsat. 28 Feb. 2015. Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.aawsat.net/2015/02/article55341906/sisi-if-egypt- falls-so-does-the-middle-east Al-Rashed, Abdulrahman. Egyptian President Sisi’s Foreign Policy. Al Arabiya News. 19 Sep. 2014. Web. 18 May 2015. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle- east/2014/09/19/Egyptian-President-Sisi-s-foreign-policy.html Aly, Abdel. Post-Revolution Egyptian Foreign Policy. 2014. Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/meb/MEB86.pdf Darwisheh, Housam. Regime Survival Strategies and The Conduct of Foreign Policy in Egypt. IDEME Review Vol. 2 (2014-2015). Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.ide.go.jp/Japanese/Publish/Periodicals/Me_review/pdf/201503_01.pdf Fahmy, Nabil. President El-Sisi Faces the World. The Cairo Review of Global Affairs. 22, Sep. 2015. Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.aucegypt.edu/gapp/cairoreview/pages/articleDetails.aspx?aid=654 Gordon, Jerry. Egypt Under Al-Sisi: An Interview with Raymond Stock. Middle East Forum. February 2015. Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.meforum.org/5014/egypt-under-al-sisi- an-interview-with-raymond Savir, Uri. Egypt-Israel Future Ties Could Depend on Palestinian Issue. Israel Pulse. 28, Sep. 2014. Web. 18 May 2015. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/09/egypt- israel-change-regional-policy-leadership-role-al-sisi.html# Smith, Steve. Theories of Foreign Policy: An Historical Overview. Review of International Studies Vol. 12, No. 1(Jan., 1986), pp.13-29. Read More