Brotherhood presidential candidate Khairat al-Shater stated that the application of Sharia law is his ultimate goal. “I will rely on people of experience to help Parliament achieve that goal,” Shater said during a meeting of the Islamic Legitimate Body of Rights and Reformation, a moderate body of Islamic scholars.

ELECTIONS: 

1) The Wafd Party has officially endorsed Amr Moussa’s presidential candidacy. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/4/2012]

2) Brotherhood presidential candidate Khairat al-Shater stated that the application of Sharia law is his ultimate goal. “I will rely on people of experience to help Parliament achieve that goal,” Shater said during a meeting of the Islamic Legitimate Body of Rights and Reformation, a moderate body of Islamic scholars. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/4/2012] 

CONSTITUTION: 

3) The poet and writer Farouk Goweida, a member of the constituent assembly, has called for at least 15 “amateur” members of the assembly to be replaced by legal and constitutional experts, and is threatening to withdraw if substitutions are not made. The Brotherhood has reportedly agreed to replace a number of Islamist members from professionals and experts outside of parliament, and not drawn from the list of alternates. [al-Ahram, English, 4/4/2012] 

4) The head of the SCAF-appointed civilian Advisory Council Sameh Ashour has recommended that the constituent assembly be dissolved and called on the SCAF to draft a new constitutional declaration. [al-Ahram, English, 4/4/2012] 

PARLIAMENT: 

5) The People’s Assembly will resume discussion on April 8 of a major policy statement issued by Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri on February 26, taking another step toward a vote of no-confidence in the government.  The parliament will interrogate Prime Minister Ganzouri on ten different questions related to the government’s performance.  The FJP has reportedly been trying to limit the scope of questioning, to prevent a confrontation with the military over the authority to dismiss the cabinet.  [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 4/4/2012] [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 4/4/2012] 

ECONOMY: 

6) Trade Minister Mahmoud Issa met with EU ambassador to Egypt to discuss opportunities for implementing EU-proposed trade initiatives.  The officials discussed the prospects for a free trade agreement between Egypt and the EU as well as strategies for attracting European investment and increasing Egyptian exports to EU markets. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/4/2012] 

SUEZ CANAL: 

7) Egypt allowed the M.T. Tour, a tanker identified by the United States as owned by a sanctions-evading company set up by Iran, to pass through the Suez Canal carrying Syrian oil to a state-run Chinese company in Singapore. [Reuters, English, 4/4/2012] 

Photo Credit: AP

Image: Khairat-el-Shater_2182971b.jpg