With yet another unconventional approach to boost Egypt’s ailing economy, newly elected President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi went for a bike ride early Friday morning.

Sisi, who made two previous public appearances on a bicycle while campaigning for president, appeared in a white polo shirt to launch a cycling marathon along with a number of of public figures, university students and students of the Police Academy and military colleges.

In a televised speech during the opening ceremony, Sisi called on Egyptians to cycle to work, claiming that “this is the only way to build Egypt.” He welcomed all participants in the marathon who “are united for a single goal, building the country and showing unity.”

“If everyone walked if possible or found transportation means like this one — a bicycle — they would be offering Egypt LE16 every day,” he proclaimed.

After his speech, Sisi addressed the questions surrounding his previous remarks on “Egyptians’ inner strength,” asserting that “we’ve estimated an approximate distance of about 20-30 km an individual usually needs to cross to go to university or work. I’m telling you, in short, that an hour or hour and a half will get you to work or university using this bicycle.”

To further justify his suggestion, Sisi gave the example of an individual driving a car to cross the aforementioned distance which, according to the president, costs the individual LE4 and costs the country LE8.

“So if I walked or rode a bicycle, I would be giving Egypt LE16 on that day. And if 3,000 people did that, imagine how much they would save per day,” the field marshal added.

With a smile, he remarked that women could also be cycling to run their errands, a comment that was met with sarcasm from some social media users who responded that they would love to cycle to work if he guaranteed that they would not be sexually harassed.

Last Sunday during mass celebrations for Sisi’s inauguration, at least five cases of sexual assault were reported in downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square. A video surfaced on the Internet showing one case of a mob surrounding a woman, stripping and violently assaulting her. Sisi visited the victim in the hospital and promised to take action against sexual assault.

Sisi also said that gathering civilian Egyptian youth with youth members of the army and police forces, as well as anyone else who wishes to participate in the cycling marathon, sends a message that “we have to know each other well, we have to love each other and we shouldn’t argue a lot.”

“When I bring a young university student next to his brother who’s graduating from the Police Academy, I’m telling him that he’s your brother who loves you, and you have to love him back. When I bring a young university student along with a military college student, I’m telling them to stick together and know each other well, because they are not strangers. You’re all Egyptians,” he affirmed.  

Attending the opening ceremony were a number of Egyptian actors known for supporting Sisi, including Yousra, Laila Elwi, Hussein Fahmy, Tamer Hagras and Hani Ramzy. The rest of the attendees, presumably students, wore sporting uniforms featuring a white shirt, black shorts and a cycling helmet. 

“The goal is not to just practice sports,” Sisi concluded. “There’s a message behind it, which is the unity of Egyptian people.”