Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued Jan. 15 presidential decree No. 23 of 2019, regulating the travel of senior officials who are traveling abroad on official missions. Under this decree, senior state officials will not be allowed to travel without getting Sisi's permission, a matter that has sparked a heated debate regarding the key reasons lurking behind this move.

The presidential decree's first article stipulates that the permission to travel abroad on official missions or job-related activities must be approved by the president of the republic. The decree applies to the prime minister, deputy prime ministers and ministers of defense, interior, justice and foreign affairs. It also applies to the heads of independent authorities as well as control and security agencies and their deputies.

The other ministers must get their permission from the prime minister.

Those who hold positions that are of the same ranking of a prime minister or deputy prime minister are also subject to the provisions of the first article. In Egypt, officials who hold positions equivalent to the prime minister include Al-Azhar's Grand Imam, the parliament speaker and the head of the Supreme Judiciary Council.