Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviewed the capabilities of the State’s institutions in responding to crises and disasters, as part of the ongoing launch of the State Strategic Command in the New Capital. Speaker of the House of Representatives Counselor Hisham Badawi, Speaker of the Senate Counselor Essam El-Din Farid, Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, commanders of the main branches of the Armed Forces, as well as a number of ministers and senior state officials were present.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, stated that upon President El-Sisi’s arrival at the Egyptian Military Academy, at the Strategic Command headquarters, the guard of honor rendered the military salute and the national anthem was played.

The ceremony commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech delivered by the prime minister. A range of equipment designated for responding to various types of crises, including terrorism, health emergencies related to pandemic outbreaks, natural and industrial disasters, as well as search and rescue and medical evacuation equipment passed before the official podium.

At the conclusion of the review, President El-Sisi delivered remarks in which he expressed his appreciation and respect for Egypt’s state institutions. The President highlighted the inauguration of the Strategic Command, which is responsible for coordinating and managing the work of state institutions and Egypt’s governorates during times of crisis. The President explained that this concept is implemented in many countries that have established systems to protect their citizens during crises, emphasizing that the state must continuously develop and enhance its capabilities and resources.

The President added that Egypt already possesses civil protection capabilities, but that it had become necessary to organize these capabilities within a unified institutional framework capable of providing strong support in responding to any crisis or disaster facing the country. President El-Sisi noted that the equipment showcased during the event represented only a small fraction of the State’s overall crisis-response capabilities, underscoring that the concept of the State extends far beyond merely providing citizens with the necessities of daily life.

President El-Sisi added that the State sought to familiarize citizens with the capabilities it possesses during the launch of the Strategic Command and at today's event.

The President stressed the importance of conducting crisis simulations and demonstrating how state institutions respond to emergencies. In this regard, the President noted that effective crisis and disaster management encompasses numerous components essential to successful response efforts, including regular training, the availability of equipment, and ensuring its operational readiness and efficiency.

The President further emphasized that the State should conduct crisis or disaster simulation exercises at least once or twice annually to ensure that responses are not improvised. President El-Sisi affirmed that the State is exerting significant efforts in this regard, and that it is important for the Egyptian people to be aware of that. The President also stressed the need to enhance public awareness across all sectors of society through schools, universities, mosques, churches and other community institutions so as to enable citizens to deal effectively with crises and minimize their consequences.

President El-Sisi further underscored the importance of anticipating and assessing potential crises in advance and reiterated that citizens should be informed of the efforts undertaken by the State in this regard. The President noted that this responsibility rests with both state institutions and the various media outlets.

Concluding his remarks, President El-Sisi expressed his appreciation for the prime minister, the Cabinet, and the Armed Forces for their efforts and the arrangements made to effectively communicate messages and provide citizens with a comprehensive understanding through the activities organized during the day’s events and the inauguration of the State Strategic Command.

The second part of the event included the President's inspection of the State Defense Coordination Center. The President also viewed a documentary on the Center and observed a hypothetical crisis simulation moderated by the prime minister with the participation of several cabinet ministers.