SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan: Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sissi, who has led a massive ongoing crackdown on radicals, said on Friday that the fight against extremism in the region must go hand-in-hand with pursuing greater “freedom, equality and justice.”

El-Sissi spoke at a regional World Economic Forum conference in Jordan. He says extremism increases because of “desperation, regression of values of justice.”

Egypt has waged a sweeping crackdown against radicals.

In his speech, El-Sissi urged governments to protect their youth from falling into the hands of extremists and warned of the use of technology and social media in recruitment.

“Efforts should be made to prevent the misuse of modern technology in disseminating extremist thought,” he said.

El-Sissi also announced that Egypt would host the 2016 World Economic Forum in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Sudanese staged a demonstration in the capital, Khartoum, denouncing the recent death sentence against Egypt’s ousted President Muhammad Mursi.

Protesters — mostly members of Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood branch — chanted slogans. Mursi belongs to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. He was sentenced to death earlier this week on charges relating to a 2011 prison break.

Riot police cordoned off roads leading to the UN office and the protesters dispersed peacefully.