In a surprising decision, Egyptian President Abdelfattah el-Sisi cancelled his plans to participate in the 7th Arab League Summit in Mauritania which began yesterday, citing a busy schedule of domestic affairs.
Sisi is no stranger to hate and criticism, but throughout the past few years of his presidency he has never dealt with an attempt on his life.
However, according to rumors that have circulated in the Egyptian press, an assassination plot may have been what pushed Sisi to stay home during the Arab League Summit in Mauritania.
According to a report by Al-Masry Al-Youm, a private Egyptian newspaper, Sisi cancelled his trip to the Arab Summit in the the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott after an assassination plot was uncovered by Egyptian intelligence. The same sources added that this was not the first time Sisi was threatened by assassination during trips abroad.
The Egyptian government quickly denied the rumors, with presidential spokesperson Alaa Youssef flatly denying the rumors and stating that the real reason for Sisi’s remaining in Egypt was his busy domestic schedule.
In Sisi’s place, Prime Minister Ismael Sherif attended the summit who gave the president’s speech on behalf.
In addition to Sisi’s absence, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman did not attend either, citing “health reasons.”
Of the most pressing concerns for the Arab Summit are the violence and extremism that have gripped the region, combating extremism, economic rehabilitation, and even a renewed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Regardless, many critics of the conference have called it “a summit with no value”, and remain pessimistic about regional cooperation looking forward. Detractors cite widespread corruption in Arab governments and the lack of results from previous summits held by the 22-member Arab League.
