Every morning for the past week I have awoken with the same thought: I have witnessed a miracle; we have toppled a dictator. Then I consider the steps that lie ahead, and think, with renewed determination: we have sowed the seeds for a new Egypt, but it is not enough; we must nurture and grow the plant.
Egypt’s awakening has spread hope across the Arab world. The courage shown by the Libyan people risking everything for their freedom is only the latest incredible example. But to realise this vision of Egypt’s “Second Republic” – a democracy rooted in social justice, equal opportunity, respect for human rights and other universal values – is an enormous, complex undertaking. Egypt under Hosni Mubarak had deteriorated to the status of a failed state. We must wipe the slate clean and start again.
The transition before us is critical. Democracy is more than a ballot box. As much as we Egyptians treasure our military, acting alone it cannot provide the legitimacy to lay the foundations for democracy.