Consul General Adel Al-Alfy addressing Egyptian expatriates in Jeddah during the celebrations

JEDDAH — The Egyptian Consulate in Jeddah held a public ceremony to celebrate the inauguration of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Jeddah on Sunday evening.

The celebration, which came after the new head of state’s swearing-in before members of the General Assembly of the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo, continued for hours.

Egypt’s Consul General Adel El-Alfy and Dr. Said Yahya, chairman of the local branch of the General Union of Egyptians Abroad, hosted the celebration and received members of the Egyptian community along with Saudi personalities who were keen to share the joy.

In his welcome speech, El-Alfy praised the strong and historical Saudi-Egyptian relations and the unforgettable support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and said: “President El-Sisi was chosen by the Egyptian people and this choice came to reflect the victory of people’s will and desire for stability, security, development and boosting national and Arab security.”

Yahya said: “The victory of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is not just a victory in the presidential election, but the victory of the Egyptian people who were victims of the Zionist scheme that aimed to divide Arab countries and establish a new Middle East.

“It is also a victory for the Egyptian people in conquering the Muslim Brotherhood’s terrorism plans.”

He told Saudi Gazette, “As the chairman of the General Union of Egyptians Abroad, the first thing we need from President El-Sisi is security in Egypt.

“Once security is settled, its positive impact will be seen in all other fields of life.”

Hanan Ahmad, an Egyptian housewife, expressed her happiness and said: “Today’s celebration gave us the chance to express our joy and happiness. “We feel that we are in Egypt celebrating with our families.”

Suzan Ali, a teacher in Jeddah, said: “We are looking forward to a brighter future under the leadership of President El-Sisi. People suffered a lot in the past three years and now we are hopeful about the future.”

Following the inauguration ceremony in Cairo, El-Sisi received various heads of state from Arab and non-Arab countries, including Crown Prince Salman.

The celebration began with the Egyptian and Saudi national anthems.