Egypt should seek to avoid escalating conflict

Democracy is a symbol of developed countries. But democracy alone cannot turn a developing country into a developed one, says an editorial in the 21st Century Business Herald (excerpt below).

Egypt's first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, was overthrown in a coup by his generals on Wednesday in an uprising similar to the Arab Spring that brought the Islamist leader to power less than a year ago.

In the Arab Spring movement, the then-leader of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, said a nation's most important priority is to remain united, adding that both his supporters and the rebels, Muslims and Christians, belong to the same caravan and must keep the caravan moving ahead.

Mubarak's words fit Egypt's situation today well. Morsi has not united everyone behind him in the past year. In the new uprising, the military has become representative of the people again.

Egypt's economy grew only 2.6 percent last year. The unemployment rate was more than 13 percent. High inflation and poor tourism made it difficult for Morsi to reach the targets set in his 64 proposals to improve people's livelihoods. Most of the international organization's loans and Western countries' assistance to Egypt, which were promised a year ago, have not reached the country.

The military and government of Egypt should reach consensus through dialogue and avoid escalating conflict. Egypt cannot afford to waste more time rebuilding its political system and national economy. The military should play a key role in maintaining social and political stability in the country.