Egypt’s Foreign Ministry was “surprised” at democracy watchdog Carter Center’s decision to close its office in Egypt over claims of deepening polarization and narrowing political space, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The Carter Center has been working in Egypt since May 2011 “to witness parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as follow political and electoral developments as the country transitions post-revolution.” In a press release on Wednesday, the center announced shutting down its Egypt office after assessing that the political environment “is deeply polarized and that political space has narrowed for Egyptian political parties, civil society, and the media.” The ministry described the decision as contradicting with earlier correspondence by the center thanking the Egyptian authorities for facilitating its mission in the past three years. The justifications provided for office closure contain “incorrect supposition and subjective evaluation”, the ministry added. The foreign ministry also criticised the center’s “allegations” of clamping down on activities of civil society and political parties before the elections, adding that the Carter Center had notified the ministry of its decision in August, citing work logistics and redirecting resources as reasons behind its departure….
