In a speech that he made yesterday to mark the third anniversary of the June 30 revolution that overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that the size of the challenge that Egypt faces is still significant, and that it must redouble its efforts in order to make up for what was lost during the last few years. He also stressed that the state is working towards achieving the hopes of the people and is racing against time to complete national projects.

Millions descended on the streets on the 30th of June three years ago to protest against the rule of former President Mohamed Morsi who belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood, and to demand early presidential elections. He was removed from power on the 3rd of July 2013 with the support of the army which was led by El- Sisi. Egyptians yesterday commemorated the third anniversary of these demonstrations.

Armed forces put on air and naval shows to mark the anniversary of the revolution in Cairo and the Egyptian provinces yesterday. Egyptian flags and photos of El-Sisi were also displayed in the streets amid a high security presence to prevent violent acts.

In a speech that was broadcast on Egyptian state television yesterday, El-Sisi said that the challenges that Egypt faces are large, and that the state is racing against time to complete national projects. He added that “the revolution regained the Egyptian people’s identity” and “proved to the whole world that their will cannot be broken or curbed”.

He added that the June 30 revolution “confirmed that it is impossible to impose a status quo on the Egyptian people and whoever thinks they can succeed in doing so is delusional”.

El-Sisi continued by saying: “You are well aware that the size of the challenge is big and that we must redouble efforts in order to make up for lost time during the last few years, particularly in light of the economic conditions that the country is experiencing”.