Egypt’s presidency mourned early Friday former South African leader Nelson Mandela who died at home in Johannesburg on Thursday at 95 after a period of illness.
A statement by the interim presidency said Mandela “will remain in the hearts and minds of Egyptians as one of the most notable symbols of nationalist struggle in our contemporary world,” saying the former South African president had “close historical connections with Egypt through his struggle for noble human values, embodied in his struggle against racial discrimination.”
The presidency said Mandela, along with former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and other “founding fathers of Africa’s struggle for freedom and independence, will remain a source of inspiration for nations.”
The interim President Adly Mansour announced three days of mourning from Friday to late Sunday.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
