Are amendments to Egypt’s contentious NGOs Act in the offing?

Are amendments to the contentious NGOs Act in the offing? President Abdel Fattah El Sisi agreed yesterday to form a committee and hold “national dialogue” (Egypt-speak for “public consultations”) on amendments to the contentious NGOs Act, according to Al Shorouk. Speaking at the World Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, El Sisi said that the law, which the House of Representatives passed back in 2016, is flawed. Among other stipulations, the law forbids NGOs from participating in political activities and requires organizations to receive government approval prior to receiving international funding. The act has come under fire several times for being “draconian” and “repressive,” with several US senators condemning it as a “direct attack on independent civil society in Egypt.”