2021 in Egypt explained

See also: 2021 in North Africa. Events in the year 2021 in Egypt.

Incumbents

• President of Egypt: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
• Prime Minister of Egypt: Moustafa Madbouly

Events

Ongoing – COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt

January and February

• 12 January – An appeals court acquits Haneen Hossam and Mawada al-Adham imprisoned for "attacking society’s values" over videos they published on TikTok. Hossam, 20, still faces charges of human trafficking.^[1]
• 18 January – Direct flights between Egypt and Qatar are renewed for the first time since 2017. 300,000 Egyptians live in Qatar.^[2]
• 19 January – A female baker is arrested for ″violating family values″ for allegedly baking sexually-suggestive cupcakes. The arrest became the hottest topic on social media and is the most recent incident in a struggle for increased freedom of expression.^[3]
• 24 January – COVID-19 pandemic: Egypt begins vaccinating healthcare workers. More than 300 doctors have died.^[4]
• 4 February – The government frees journalist Mahmoud Hussein of Al Jazeera after five years in prison on charge of spreading false news.^[5]
• 17 February – Egypt buys 168 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles for USD $197 million.^[6]
• 18 February – President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah meet in Cairo.^[7]

March and April

• 6 March – President El-Sissi meets with Sudanese general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Khartoum.^[8]
• 11 March – 2021 Cairo clothing factory fire
• 23 March – The Suez Canal is blocked as the 400meter, 224,000-ton Ever Given runs aground during a sandstorm.^[9]
• 24 March – 15 killed and 12 injured in a multi-car crash at a checkpoint.^[10]
• 26 March – Sohag train collision: Thirty-two killed and 66 injured.^[11] A later report was that 19 were killed and 165 injured.^[12]
• 27 March – An apartment building collapses in Gesr Suez district, killing 25.^[13]
• 28 March
  • 2021 Suez Canal obstruction
    • Prime Minister Abdel Fatah al-Sissi orders officials of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) to begin preparations for the removal of containers. Efforts continue to refloat the ship during high tide with the aid of dredgers and an excavator on land.^[14]
    • The Ever Given is liberated and moved to the Great Bitter Lake for inspection.^[15]
• 30 March – Renaissance Dam: President el-Sissi warns that Nile River waters are “untouchable".^[16]
• 2 April – Roads are shut down as twenty-two mummies, mostly from the New Kingdom, are moved to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat.^[17]
• 18 April – Toukh train accident

November

• 13 November - Scorpions have infested Egypt’s southern city of Aswan, killing three people and stinging more than 400. According to local media, the mass scorpion attack was caused by severe thunderstorms in the city in recent days. Reports state the scorpions were washed into the streets and peoples’ homes, where they were seeking refuge from the intense weather conditions.^[18]

Sports

• 13 to 31 January – 2021 World Men's Handball Championship
• 25 August to 6 September – Egypt at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Deaths

January to March

• 2 January – Wahid Hamed, 76, Egyptian screenwriter (Terrorism and Kebab, Ma'ali al Wazir, The Yacoubian Building).^[19]
• 13 January – Sylvain Sylvain, 69, Egyptian-born American guitarist (New York Dolls); cancer.^[20]
• 14 January – Safwat El-Sherif, 87, politician, Minister of Information (1981–2004); leukemia.^[21]
• 24 January –, 72, preacher, Laws academic and social worker; COVID-19.^[22]
• 29 January – Mahmoud Abdel-Ghaffar, 60, actor.^[23]
• 5 February – Ezzat El Alaili, 86, actor (The Land, Alexandria... Why?, War in the Land of Egypt).^[24]
• 25 February – Hussein F. Sabbour, 85, civil engineer and architect.^[25]
• 28 February
  • Ahlam Elgretly, 73, actress; heart attack.^[26]
  • Yousuf Shaaban, 83, actor (There is a Man in our House, Mother of the Bride, My Wife, the Director General), COVID-19.^[27]
• 4 March – Kamal Amer, politician and military officer, governor of Aswan (1999–2001) and Matrouh (1997–1999), senator (2012–2013); COVID-19.^[28]
• 6 March – Sawsan Rabie, 59, actress; complications from COVID-19.^[29]
• 12 March – Malik 'Iismaeil, 84, television presenter.^[30]
• 16 March –, 82, actor and director.^[31]
• 19 March – Mona Badr, 84, actress.^[32]
• 21 March – Nawal El Saadawi, 89, feminist.^[33]
• 31 March – Kamal Ganzouri, 88, politician, Prime Minister of Egypt (1996–1999, 2011–2012).^[34]

October to December

• 3 November – Hassan Al Alfi, police major and politician (born 1936)

See also

• COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
• 2020s
• African Union
• Arab League
• Terrorism in Egypt
• Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
• African Continental Free Trade Area
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

Notes and References

1. News: January 12, 2021. Egypt court acquits TikTok stars jailed over 'debauchery'. Al Jazeera English. January 12, 2021. 12 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210112213816/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/12/egypt-court-acquits-tiktok-stars-jailed-over-debauchery. live.
2. News: January 18, 2021. Egypt, UAE resume first Qatar flights since 2017. Arab News. Agence France-Presse. live. January 18, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301015330/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1794611/middle-east. March 1, 2021.
3. News: Cheeseman. Abbie. January 19, 2021. Egyptian woman arrested for 'violating family values' with suggestively decorated cupcakes. The Telegraph. January 19, 2021. 26 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026203817/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/19/egyptian-woman-arrested-violating-family-values-suggestively/. live.
4. News: January 24, 2021. Egypt kicks off vaccine drive as France tightens borders. Bangkok Post. Agence France-Presse. live. January 24, 2021. https://archive.today/20211023171204/https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2056263/egypt-kicks-off-vaccine-drive-as-france-tightens-borders. 23 October 2021.
5. News: February 5, 2021. Egypt frees Jazeera journalist after 4 years jail: security. The Daily Star. Agence France-Presse. live. February 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221130637/https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2021/Feb-05/517039-egypt-frees-jazeera-journalist-after-4-years-jail-security.ashx. February 21, 2021.
6. News: February 17, 2021. US sells $200m in weapons to Egypt despite human rights abuses. Al Jazeera English. February 17, 2021. 14 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210314091915/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/17/us-sells-200m-in-weapons-to-egypt-despite-human-rights-abuses. live.
7. News: Elhennawy. Noha. February 18, 2021. Libya's new interim leader meets with Egyptian president. Associated Press. live. February 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210612052750/https://apnews.com/article/north-africa-africa-egypt-libya-cairo-7eb26ece926c7d076efb3d925eb67f3a. June 12, 2021.
8. News: Magdy. Samy. March 6, 2021. Egypt's president el-Sissi visits Sudan amid rapprochement. Associated Press. March 6, 2021. 6 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211106215844/https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-egypt-cairo-khartoum-sudan-3fdf4880dddecbe1afe59acabdd3f8bb. live.
9. News: Mohamed . Yusri . Jaganathan . Jessica . Tan . Florence . Tugs work to free giant container ship stranded in Suez Canal . March 24, 2021 . news.yahoo.com . Reuters . March 23, 2021.
10. News: 26 March 2021. At least 15 killed in multi-car crash after curfew in Egypt. Al Jazeera English. live. 29 March 2021. 29 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210329101802/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/3/26/at-least-15-killed-in-multi-car-crash-after-curfew-in-egypt.
11. News: Egipto. Choque de trenes deja al menos 32 muertos y 66 heridos . March 26, 2021 . El Universal . 26 March 2021 . es . 26 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210326145429/https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/mundo/egipto-choque-de-trenes-deja-al-menos-32-muertos-y-66-heridos . live .
12. News: March 27, 2021. Egypt revises death toll from train crash to 19. Al Jazeera English. March 28, 2021. 26 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211026201724/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/27/egypt-buries-train-crash-dead-toll-revised-to-19. live.
13. News: March 28, 2021. Death toll from Egypt building collapse climbs to 25. Arab News. Agence France-Presse. live. March 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210625015434/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1833041/middle-east. June 25, 2021.
14. News: Bowden. John. 28 March 2021. Egyptian leader gives last-resort order to dislodge ship from Suez Canal. The Hill. March 28, 2021. 28 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210328132346/https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/shipping-and-cargo/545264-al-sissi-orders-prep-for-unloading-container-ship. live.
15. News: Debre. Isabel. Magdy. Samy. March 28, 2021. Suez Canal reopens after stuck cargo ship is freed. Associated Press. March 29, 2021. 29 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210329135426/https://apnews.com/article/suez-canal-ship-freed-live-updates-48f856c9afed58feb908878c2a495287. live.
16. News: Magdy. Samy. March 31, 2021. In stark warning, Egypt leader says Nile water 'untouchable'. Associated Press. March 31, 2021. 4 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211104195209/https://apnews.com/article/sudan-egypt-cairo-middle-east-ethiopia-5180b6b12ebfa8cdaa087c97a158856d. live.
17. News: Ebrahim. Nadeen. April 2, 2021. Egyptian mummies paraded through Cairo on way to new museum. Reuters. live. limited. April 3, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211023173128/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/majestic-cairo-parade-egyptian-mummies-move-museum-2021-04-03/. October 23, 2021.
18. Web site: Egypt: Thunderstorms cause deadly scorpion infestation in Aswan | Three people die from stings in southern city as rain washes scorpions into streets . Freerepublic.com . 2021-11-14 . 2021-11-25 . 14 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211114170541/https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4012590/posts . live .
19. News: 2021-01-02 . Veteran Egyptian screenwriter Wahid Hamed dies at 76 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210104122227/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1786141/lifestyle . 2021-01-04 . 2021-01-02 . Arab News . dmy-all.
20. New York Dolls Guitarist Sylvain Sylvain Dead at 69 . . 15 January 2021 . 26 January 2021 . 21 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121201902/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sylvain-sylvain-new-york-dolls-dead-1114962/ . live .
21. Web site: Mubarak-era Information minister Safwat El-Sherif dies of Leukemia: son . 14 January 2021 . 18 January 2021 . 15 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115185601/https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/96413/Mubarak-era-information-minister-Safwat-El-Sherif-dies-of-Leukemia . live .
22. https://www.bbc.com/arabic/trending-55803842 عبلة الكحلاوي: مواقع التواصل ترثي داعية فاقت أقرانها في منابر الدعوة وأعمال الخير
23. Web site: Egyptian actor Mahmoud Abdel-Ghaffar dies at age 60 . 1 February 2021 . 31 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210131043358/http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/32/399920/Arts--Culture/Film/Egyptian-actor-Mahmoud-AbdelGhaffar-dies-at-age-.aspx . live .
24. Web site: Veteran Egyptian actor Ezzat El-Alaili dies at age 86 . 6 February 2021 . 5 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210205105032/http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/402400/Egypt/Politics-/Veteran-Egyptian-actor-Ezzat-ElAlaili-dies-at-age-.aspx . live .
25. https://lomazoma.com/breaking-news/8236468.html Businessman Hussein Sabbour passes away
26. https://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/2271307 وفاة الفنانة أحلام الجريتلي عن عمر يناهز 73 عامًا
27. https://www.albayan.ae/culture-art/celebrities/2021-02-28-1.4104220 وفاة الفنان المصري يوسف شعبان متأثراً بكورونا
28. https://www.alarabiya.net/arab-and-world/egypt/2021/03/05/ أستاذي-وقائدي-من-هو-كمال-عامر-الذي-نعاه-السيسي؟
29. http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/405434/Arts--Culture/Stage--Street/Veteran-Egyptian-actress-Sawsan-Rabie-dies-at-.aspx Veteran Egyptian actress Sawsan Rabie dies at 59
30. https://www.alarabiya.net/arab-and-world/egypt/2021/03/13/فيروس-كورونا-وفاة-الاعلامية-المصرية-ملك-اسماعيل-متأثرة-بمضاعفات-كورونا- وفاة الإعلامية المصرية ملك اسماعيل متأثرة بمضاعفات كورونا
31. https://www.albayan.ae/culture-art/celebrities/2021-03-16-1.4116868 وفاة الفنان المصري عادل هاشم بعد صراع مع المرض
32. https://www.filfan.com/news/130746 وفاة الممثلة منى بدر
33. Web site: Smith. Sarah A.. 22 March 2021. Nawal El Saadawi obituary. live. 23 March 2021. The Guardian. 23 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210323010339/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/22/nawal-el-saadawi-obituary.
34. March 31, 2021. Former Egyptian PM Kamal al-Ganzouri dies aged 88. live. Egypt Today. https://web.archive.org/web/20211005091232/https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/100361/Former-Egyptian-PM-Kamal-al-Ganzouri-dies-aged-88. October 5, 2021.