Egypt’s SCAF Forms National Defence Council Without Revealing its Duties

Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has formed a National Defence Council, as announced on Thursday, 14 June, in the official state gazette, which publishes any new constitutional or legislative documents when they are issued.

The formation of the council was not publicised by the SCAF.

The SCAF, however, has yet to provide a description of the tasks that are or shall be assigned to the newly-constructed body, which does not have a precedent in recent Egyptian political history.

The announcement of the National Defence Council came two days before the SCAF abruptly introduced an addendum to the military-authored March 2011 Constitutional Declaration, which, critics say, gives the military council unfettered powers and diminishes the role of the new president.

The National Defence Council Will Include the Following People:

The President (Head of the National Defence Council)

The Parliamentary Speaker

The Head of the Cabinet of Ministers

The Foreign Minister

The Defence Minister

The Military Production Minister

The Interior Minister

The Finance Minister

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces

The Director of Egyptian General Intelligence

The Chief Naval Commander

The Air Force Commander

The Commander of Air Defence Forces

The Assistant Defence Minister

The Chief of the Operations Authority of the Armed Forces

The Chief of the Military Judiciary

The Director of Military Intelligence and Reconnaissance 

[Developed in partnership with Ahram Online.]