FJP Receives Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights, Discuss NGO

Dr. Essam Al-Haddad, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Foreign Relations Committee Officer, received, Thursday, Michael Posner, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. They discussed the FJP’s visions and views on the Egyptian political landscape in light of the current transitional phase climate, and ways to enhance Egyptian-American relations.

At the beginning of the meeting, Al-Haddad welcomed the U.S. official, underscoring the importance of holding such meetings in support of dialogue and communication and in order to work out a formula for common understanding.

Al-Haddad reviewed with the U.S. official the features of the transitional phase, which will witness, in a few days, the Shura Council elections – set to begin on the twenty-ninth of January – and the formation of the Constituent Assembly of the constitution as well as the holding of presidential elections.

Al-Haddad pointed out that there is a consensus on the key points in the new Constitution – the most important of which are the rights of citizenship, civil liberties and civil rights – while there is a need to make some adjustments in Chapter V on the powers of the President of the Republic, the regime in Egypt, and the position of the armed forces.

With respect to the FJP’s vision for civil society and human rights organizations, Al-Haddad expressed appreciation for the role such organizations played in support of public freedoms, human rights and overseeing government performance, but underlined the need to develop specific laws that define the work of such organizations, with clear bases and criteria, and the need for these to be under the legal supervision of competent authorities.

Al-Haddad pointed that the January Revolution has three main foundations, namely freedom, justice and dignity, stressing the need for everyone to come together in support of these three values in order to achieve the goals of the revolution.

With regard to the role of women in society, Al-Haddad expressed the FJP’s appreciation for the role of women in society, affirming that they should enjoy their full rights, but noted that the representation of women in parliament is still low.

For his part, Posner congratulated the FJP on the results the party achieved in the parliamentary elections which took place in the past weeks.

The American official said that governments alone cannot do everything – public services, education and health. Therefore, they must activate the role of national and civil institutions (NGOs) on topics of health, education and community services, because this is their original role primarily.