Thursday, July 21, 2016

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful and Compassionate

The great Egyptian people;

The honorable and magnificent people;

The men of the brave Armed Forces;

We celebrate today the graduation of a new generation of the men of honor and dignity who perceived the principles and values of nationalism and heroism so that contribution of generations would be maintained. They have devoted themselves for their homeland defending its dignity and honor and protecting its territories and potentials of its people. They opted to be the shield that defends the homeland and the sword that protects it. They were equipped with faith and science which they received inside this great military edifice that was established in 1811. Since then, this edifice has been undertaking its mission with all sincerity and loyalty. It constitutes, together with other military scientific foundations, an integrated system of national struggle. It presents to our Armed Forces the officers of the future who spare no efforts for defending with their lives the homeland and contributing to its comprehensive development process.

My graduate sons;

I wholeheartedly congratulate you for joining the ranks of the brave Armed Forces to be among the best soldiers on earth. Today you have completed your education and become equipped with science and high training to take over the great responsibility of defending the homeland and protecting its sanctuaries. I have complete faith that you are strong men who believe in Allah and who are loyal to their nation and who place Egypt above every body and all things. My faith in you is that you believe that no decent life could be realized except through keeping the homeland dignified and honorable. You will start your career whose bases are the values of patriotism and loyalty and whose governing law is commitment and discipline while its slogan is that you attain either victory or martyrdom. So be qualified to this responsibility and take it over with all honor and devotion. I would like also to congratulate the families of the new graduates who are reaping today the fruits of the values of patriotism and devotion which they had inculcated in the minds of their sons. They have given an example to be followed of sacrifice and holding high the interests of the nation as they offered to the homeland the most precious of what they have while they are well aware how difficult the military life is and how far it is beset with challenges and dangers.

I would not miss the opportunity in this regard to salute with all pride and appreciation the souls of the heroes of the nation and martyrs of Egypt who sacrificed their lives so that this nation would live. They are an epitome of self-sacrifice who will remain unforgettable in the eternal memory of Egypt. We will remain taking care of their families and sons to pay back part of their contribution to the nation. We will take their noble sacrifices an example to be followed.

The great Egyptian people… the honorable and magnificent people;

The 64^th anniversary of the glorious July revolution will take place after two days. This revolution constituted a major turning point in the modern history of Egypt. It came as a reflection of the hopes and aspirations of the Egyptian people for independence, freedom and national sovereignty. It was a model example of efforts for a better life throughout a long process of national struggle whose banner was held by loyal men who outlined their name with luminous letters in the annals of Egypt's history. We will remain loyal to them and remember their unforgettable acts they offered to the nation atop of whom are late presidents Mohamed Naguib, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat. All appreciation and pride go to their clean souls for their great patriotic role. We pledge that we will resume their march and undertake the responsibility and maintain their efforts for a better and brighter future for Egypt and its people.

Brothers and sisters;

Egypt and the Middle East region along with the whole world have seen successive changes and radical developments since the 50s of the past century. These changes and developments required us to deal with new challenges at the internal and external levels in the political, economic, cultural and social arenas.

But while we are confronting all these challenges, we remind ourselves with the inalienable principles of the causes of our homeland and nation and resume the achievement of the goals of the glorious July revolution and its sublime and noble principles even if the means of achieving these goals and principles would differ given the current regional and international reality.

I confirm to you the sons of my country that Egypt, with the providence of Allah, will remain strong. It will remain an example to be followed of solidarity among all its national foundations atop of which comes the strong army and brave police along with its great judiciary and its thinking youths together with all its loyal sons. Egypt was able to impose a new and different reality through which it maintained its national entity and cohesion. It is seeking through this new reality to achieve its hopes and aspirations. We are determined to overcome all problems and challenges with unwavering will. We are looking together for achieving a better life. Despite all difficulties, we have all confidence, given what we have achieved, that we are moving on the right track. We are fully aware that we are capable to maintain the growth and development and upgrade and modernize our society.

We also seek to attain these goals through maintaining economic progress efforts by establishing national projects and adopting rational economic and social policies that are aimed at achieving balanced and fair development. We seek within this framework to achieve social justice while keeping in mind the interests of the low-income brackets of the society. We aspire for good quality education and decent housing along with adequate health care for all Egyptians. We complete together the pillars of our democracy through interacting with the new international developments in an ever-changing world where there is no room except for those who can seize the opportunity and overcome challenges.

Dear citizens;

Egypt continues its efforts for supporting issues at the internal level with responsible movement at the regional and international levels. Egypt also is undertaking a major role regarding the issues and crises of its region atop of which comes fighting terrorism. Egypt gains day after another more international confidence in which we take pride. This state of affairs resulted in getting a membership in the United Nations Security Council along with its chairmanship of the UNSC committee on fighting terrorism together with its membership in the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

Everybody knows that the stability of the Middle East contributes with no doubt to creating a suitable atmosphere for development and growth for us and all regional countries. It is a prerequisite for the Egyptian national security. Therefore reaching political settlements to crises in regional countries is necessary for establishing security and stability in the region atop of these crises comes the Palestinian issue. Recent Egyptian efforts for breaking the logjam of the peace efforts are meant to encourage all parties concerned to shoulder their responsibilities while warning of the dangers of delayed peace and exacerbation of the situation while auguring well for benefits of establishing peace and restoring rights.

I tell you while I am all confidence in you that we are capable together to achieve the hopes and aspirations of our nation and its sons through your strong will and strenuous efforts and through what I know of the mettle of this people and their awareness of attempts, seeking to undermine our national unity, and the dangers of terrorism and extremism along with the crises of the region and their fallout.  Egypt will remain, through the will of Allah, rich with you and the cohesion of its society. It will remain strong and impregnable thanks to its well-established national institutions. We will all hold its banner and take pride in it while loyal and devoted to our nation.

Long Live Egypt Strong and Dignified…. And Long Live its People Honored and Magnificent.

Happy returns;

Thank you.