In his maiden speech as Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi vowed to stop terror attacks in his country, as part of his bid to make the country safer for its citizens and more attractive for potential investors.

The former military chief, addressing the nation late yesterday, hours after taking the oath of office, also said there will be no reconciliation with those who resorted to violence.

“Realizing comprehensive development in its various forms and different aspects requires a favorable security environment that reassures capital and attracts tourism and investment,” he said. “We will work to develop the police force and double its ability to achieve security.”

Increasing the size of Egypt’s police force will also help deal with the high unemployment rate.

Terrorism plagues Cairo, the Sinai Peninsula (which borders Israel), and the country’s Coptic Christian community.

Sisi made his remarks immediately after the June 8 swearing-in ceremony. The president garnered 96.91 percent of the vote in the May election.

The threat of Islamist terror in Egypt has brought Washington and Cairo closer together in recent weeks after months of public disagreements.

The United States and Egyptian governments have attempted to overcome the tensions that have characterized their bilateral relations since the July 2013 coup by refocusing the U.S.-Egypt relationship on urgent mutual interests: counterterrorism first among them… counterterrorism cooperation between Egypt and the United States on Sinai, though perhaps hampered by current disagreements, can and will likely continue whether or not Egypt moves in a democratic direction, as security in the peninsula is a mutual interest.

[Photo: IDF / flickr]