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Vol 54 No 17

Published 23rd August 2013


Egypt

Who's backing the new regime?

Egypt's crisis is producing curious bedfellows

The confrontation between General Abdel Fatah Khalil el Sisi’s regime and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood divides the region. Governments are juggling their ideological orientation and strategic interests as they line up behind the two sides. Since its initial condemnation of El Sisi’s ousting of President Mohamed Mursi on 3 July, the African Union has maintained a deafening silence, reflecting differences among its members. As the map shows, Egypt’s crisis is producing curious bedfellows. Saudi Arabia has emerged as chief financier of the new regime and leader of the anti-Muslim Brotherhood alliance. That puts it in the same camp as Israel, which has been lobbying Washington to maintain military aid to Cairo, together with Syria and Algeria. Together with Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Saudi’s aid pledges of US$12 billion to Egypt will spare Western governments the embarrassment of being seen to bail out Gen. El Sisi.

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