Monday 24 / June / 2024
Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi was the first world leader to call to congratulate Donald Trump on his US election victory on Wednesday, in a move welcomed by many Egyptians who shrugged off the president-elect's anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Sisi, who held a friendly meeting with Trump during a visit to New York in September, said he hoped the business magnate's election would breathe new life into US-Egyptian ties.
"The US president-elect Donald Trump expressed his utmost appreciation to the president, pointing out that his was the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election," a presidency statement said.
"Trump said he looked forward to meeting the president (again) soon."
Unperturbed by Trump's call for Muslims to be banned from the United States, many Egyptians welcomed his victory, saying his opponent Hillary Clinton's record in office had won her few friends in the most populous Arab country.
"We, in Egypt, love Trump not Hillary because she is an enemy of the Middle East and we were scared of her presence. Trump's relationship with us is nice and we had hoped for him to win," said 56-year-old Hani Nasr, an accountant.
Asked how he felt about Trump's anti-Muslim comments during the campaign, Nasr said: "These are just words that are spoken during an election campaign. He will not implement any of it."
On the campaign trail, Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the country after a shooting spree.
The comments drew fire from American Muslims who said his stance had fuelled an atmosphere where people may feel they can openly voice prejudice.
But Clinton, Secretary of State is unpopular with many Egyptians.
Supporters of Sisi, however, consider Clinton too sympathetic toward the Muslim Brotherhood, which won Egypt's first free elections following the revolt. Sisi ousted the Brotherhood in 2013 following protests.
Egypt has close ties to the United States from which it receives military aid to cement its 1979 peace deal with Israel.
But ties have not been as warm under Sisi, with the United States initially uncomfortable with his overthrow of the Brotherhood.
In a mock election at the private American University of Cairo, Trump won, scooping 42 per cent of the 153 votes.
But Egyptians also appeared divided as the results came in, with political activists and younger people more concerned about a Trump presidency.
"I was planning to emigrate but the choice of the American people for Trump will affect my decision. Trump is racist, he hates Muslims," said Ali Nabil, a 20-year-old student.
Mahmoud Afifi, a political activist, wrote on Twitter: "A Hillary victory would not have saved anyone, but a Trump victory has confirmed the language of racism, hatred and extremism has become accepted in more educated, aware and democratic societies."
Some Egyptians joked they were preparing for a deluge of American immigrants after an election that had polarised opinion.
"We have about seven million empty apartments that are fit for American refugees," tweeted human rights lawyer Gamal Eid.
