Egypt parliament authorises Sisi to send military support to Saudi Arabia
Egypt's House of Representatives voted to authorise President Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, leaving timing and scope to him.
The story in focus
Egypt's parliament voted with a two-thirds majority on Monday to authorise President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. The mandate leaves timing and scope to Sisi and awaits a formal Saudi request.
- Parliament authorised Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia.
- The vote followed a request from Sisi and three secret parliamentary meetings.
- Sisi has said support would be defensive and only if requested by Saudi Arabia.
- No formal Saudi request has yet been announced.
- The Social Democratic Party abstained, citing vague scope and risks.
Parliamentary authorisation
Egypt's House of Representatives on Monday authorised President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take the necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia, according to a parliament statement. The vote passed with a two-thirds majority after three rare secret sessions and two postponements.
The authorisation follows a request Sisi made last week for parliamentary approval of military support to Saudi Arabia if requested. The decision, according to The National, was in line with a National Defence Council resolution on October 18 and meets the constitutional requirement for combat missions abroad.
Scope and conditions
Sisi said Egypt's support would be to defend Saudi territory and would not include an attack on Yemen, with diplomacy as the top priority. The approval does not mean troops will deploy immediately; Sisi has said Egypt would act only if Saudi Arabia asks, and no formal Saudi request has been announced.
The Social Democratic Party, which holds 11 seats, abstained after seeking specific objectives, clear information on the mission's scope and duration, and an assessment of risks to soldiers. An MP told AFP that discussions were surface-level without details, though lawmakers received assurances the operation would be defensive.
What did Egypt's parliament decide on military support to Saudi Arabia?
Parliament authorised President Sisi to take necessary measures to support Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks, leaving timing and scope to him. Sisi says support would be defensive and conditional on a Saudi request, which has not been announced.
Sources & further reading
- Egypt parliament authorises military support to Saudi Arabia ↗CNA
- Egypt's parliament authorises El Sisi to send troops to defend Saudi Arabia | The National ↗thenationalnews.com
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