By Ayman Okeil
It was a difficult and exhausting year, but at the same time, it provided me with invaluable lessons. The saying holds true: From adversity comes opportunity. It is well known that the reality of our region or world today is marked by wars, conflicts, and famines. and the humanitarian conditions in Ukraine, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other countries are frustrating. All we can do is strive for better. Yes, we are commanded to strive even in the hardest times. They say that a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor, and great deeds are written during tough times, not in moments of calm and luxury.
If I were to divide the past year, I would split it into three interacting levels: professionally, personally, and nationally. Professionally, despite the challenges faced by the organization I lead, the Maat has, thanks to Allah, achieved numerous successes, overcoming undeniable difficulties and establishing itself as a key player among regional and Arab organizations. The use of Maat reports by UN experts and committee members concerning international mechanisms is a prime example of what I mean. Personally, I was delighted with the success our organization achieved in the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
I would like to thank my colleagues at Maat who bore countless challenges and hardships, believing that we could overcome them together, convinced that our strength lies in our unity. I encourage them to innovate and be creative in a world that will not spare the lazy, and to realize that achievements are made from sincerity in work, from minds that think outside the box, and from a team that does not give up. They should understand that action is more important than words.
On a personal level, 2025 was a year of endless lessons, with setbacks that made me think wisely. I believe everything has a reason, and I learned to pause and be cautious in my steps without rushing into decisions. I also learned that trust can only be granted to those who deserve it. Life surprises you with its contrary logic; if you chase after it, it runs away from you. Nonetheless, we remain commanded to strive in life.
Therefore, I will continue to enjoy the beautiful things that remain with me, taking them into my new year, and I will commit to reducing bad habits each morning. I will cling to my few friends who have been with me for ten years and set my priorities with greater precision.
On a national level, the war on Gaza witnessed Egypt reclaiming its regional leadership and status. Additionally, Egypt moderated discussions around the Iranian nuclear program, leading to the announcement in Cairo. The Egyptian armed forces also provided political support in Sudan’s fight against the Rapid Support Forces, drawing red lines that cannot be compromised due to their connection to Egyptian national security. In Libya, Egypt did not lose hope in calling for presidential elections, which were stalled by outside interference.
Regarding the African dimension, Egypt remained committed to a stable and peaceful Horn of Africa, strengthening its relationships with Somalia and Eritrea, while exposing Ethiopia’s false ambitions. I previously stated: if Ethiopia betrays our trust, there will be no lasting pact with it. I urge vigilance towards this rogue state whose leadership harbors animosity toward Egyptians. Instead of choosing cooperation and acting wisely, they opted for confrontation and discord, unaware of the Egyptians’ deep love for the Nile, a sentiment echoed in King Munir’s song: “It neither arrives nor gets lost, it neither comes back nor disappears; the Nile is a question still unanswered, existing through the goodness that never diminishes.”
Internally, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi wisely chose to intervene to restore balance to the electoral process through what he personally described as a presidential veto, addressing the flaws that could have affected the entire election process, calling on the National Election Authority to investigate the incidents that occurred in some electoral districts and the challenges raised concerning them, to which the authority responded. There is a world of difference between the president’s veto and the Security Council’s veto.
Finally, I hope that 2026 will be a joyful and prosperous year for all. I wish to see the world’s peoples healed from war, spared from destruction and hardship, and filled with love and peace. Although this seems like a distant dream, especially following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the collapse of the international rules-based system established after World War II, I will not lose hope for a better tomorrow.
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