Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi began his third term on Tuesday with a swearing-in ceremony held at the new administrative capital east of Cairo, before parliament.
Al-Sissi, who has been in power since 2014, secured another six years in office after winning about 90 percent of the vote in a December election.
The Gaza conflict and a severe domestic economic crisis dominated the election campaign.
In his address to parliament, televised nationally, Al-Sissi acknowledged the unprecedented challenges Egypt has faced in recent years, including internal destabilization attempts, global crises, and regional conflicts.
He pledged to continue reforms and prioritize Egypt’s national security amid a turbulent regional and international environment.
The new administrative capital, launched in 2015, is a flagship construction project among several mega-projects initiated by Al-Sissi, although some have criticized these ventures for exacerbating Egypt’s economic woes.
Al-Sissi’s rise to power began in 2013 when, as army chief, he led the ousting of Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected but polarizing Islamist president.
Supporters view Al-Sissi as a stabilizing force amidst regional upheaval, while critics blame him for economic troubles and curbing freedoms.
During his tenure, thousands of activists and Islamists have been imprisoned or exiled, and the media landscape has been largely controlled by his loyalists.
