Egypt refuses to renew US NGO permits

The Egyptian Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs has refused to give American non-government organizations (NGOs) permission to work on its territories on the basis that their activities undermine the State's sovereignty. The Egyptian Ministry turned down Monday requests from US NGOs to work in the country for considerations that have something to do with their activities, a ministry official source said in a news release published here today. "By scrutinizing their activities, it has become clear to the Egyptian side that they breach the State's sovereignty," the source said and warned meantime that if such unlicensed NGOs work in Egypt, then legal action would be taken against them immediately. "Should such NGOs work on the Egyptian soil, they will be punished by law," the source said. The source made clear that the U.S. organizations that have been refused license is Carter organisation, the Organization of rights and global freedoms, the American Security Institute, the Global Education Authority , the Evangelical Church of world Nasiriyah, The Seeds of Peace Organization, the Coptic Orphans Organisation and the Association of Latter-Day Saints . It is to be noted that the Egyptian crackdown on American democracy-promotion NGOs and the U.S. response threatening to cut off military aid to Egypt have created a major crisis in bilateral relations that is detrimental to both countries. The two sides need to focus instead on how they can de-escalate the crisis and restore normal relations because much is at stake.