Egypt's military chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has announced he will run for president.
el-Sissi announced on Wednesday that he has resigned from the military and will run for president in elections scheduled for next month.
According to news24, in a nationally televised speech, el-Sissi appeared in his military uniform, saying that it was the last time he would wear it because he was giving it up 'to defend the nation' by running for president.
As per Egyptian law only civilians can run for president, so his resignation from the military, as well as his posts of military chief and defence minister, was a required step.
El-Sissi is widely expected to win the vote.
In his address, el-Sissi promised he intended to build a 'modern and democratic Egypt'.
He also spoke of the challenges facing the country, including millions of unemployed and a 'weak economy'.