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July 21, 2010
Egypt's tax revenue rose 6 percent in the fiscal year to June 30 after an unexpected surge in economic activity, the finance minister said on Sunday.
Egypt's economy, which withstood the worst of the global economic crisis that began in mid-2008, was buoyed last year by resurgent tourism and Suez Canal receipts, along with resilient construction and gas exports.
"Last year, the national economy regained its strength faster than we had expected. Activity appeared in economic sectors where it was unexpected," Youssef Boutros-Ghali told a news conference.
Tax revenue in fiscal year 2009/10 reached 148 billion Egyptian pounds, 12 billion more than budgeted, he said.
"Because of our reforms, taxes have begun to respond directly to the country's economic activity. The more activity, the more revenue," he added.
Egypt reduced its income tax to a flat 20 percent for most income brackets in 2005, slashed customs duties and enforced tax reporting more strictly.
"Sales were greater than we expected and profits were more than we expected," he said, adding the sales tax was the most significant indicator, because it immediately reflects any increase in economic activity.
To read the original article, please click here.
July 9, 2010
Egypt is implementing a new tax on tobacco products, raising cigarette prices by as much as 40 percent in the heavy smoking nation.
In conjunction with Alexandria’s recent ban on smoking in government buildings and public spaces, the new tax hopes to curb smoking in the Arab world's most populous nation and help fund health and social service programs.
The increase, which took effect July 1, was approved in late May. The tax raises the price of cigarettes by as much as 40 percent, while a 100 percent duty is added to tobacco used in shisha, or water pipes.
Health Ministry officials say the new tax is expected to generate about $345 million in additional revenue.
World Lung Foundation regional spokesman Mohamed Ghamrawy says, “International experience has proven that when you increase (cigarette prices) by about 10 percent, it may help decrease the number of smokers by 7 percent.”
“We hope that it will help a lot of smokers start to quit.”
To read the original article, please click here.
For more information, please contact Anjali Reddy at 202-777-3508 or areddy@clsdc.com.
This material is distributed by Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates on behalf of
the Egyptian Press and Information Office. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
June 18, 2010
The American South, Sameh Shoukry says, has a lot in common with Egypt. He knows comparing the Bible Belt to Muslim country in North Africa probably sounds odd. But Shoukry, Egypt’s ambassador to the U.S., has a built a career on finding common ground.
“The South is associated with hospitality and warmth, which is a shared value structure in much of the Middle East,” he says in an interview. “They’re societies that put great value in terms of family and extended family. There’s a natural demeanor of receptiveness, of people being welcoming, being open. This is a common issue between Southerners and Middle Easterners.”
Shoukry, a career diplomat who was named Egypt’s ambassador in 2008, came to The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge in April for a reception and dinner with the Middle East Council of the Carolinas. It was part of a two-day trip to Charlotte that took him to UNC Charlotte for a lively question-and-answer session with students and to a lunch hosted by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.
In his appearances, he stressed the strong historic bonds between the U.S. and Middle East, and said that the reality of Egyptian life might contrast with American’s perceptions of the greater Middle East.
“It’s important for Americans to know that this generation in Egypt grew up admiring the U.S.,” he says. “It’s a very receptive society and one that harbors no ill feelings toward Americans, but it more likely to pamper them.”
Other stereotypes of the Middle East don’t apply to Egypt, he says: Unlike Palestine or Iraq, Egypt is safe. And the role of women in Egypt is “quite progressive.”
Misconceptions also cut the other way. When he’s home in Egypt, he says he tells his countrymen that America is different from what’s depicted on “Dallas” and “Desperate Housewives.” In Egypt, films, television and other media create a caricature of the U.S. as an uncaring, materialistic society with “liberal morals,” he says.
Shoukry has traveled throughout the U.S., though this was his first visit to Charlotte. He’s pleased, he says, that the region seems to have a growing contingent of Middle Easterners. It also has commercial ties to Egypt.
Shoukry, 58, has lived with one foot in Egypt and one in the rest of the world even before joining his country’s diplomatic corps in 1976. His father was a diplomat, too, with stints in Washington, D.C., and the Philippines. He learned to like the lifestyle and enjoys representing his country. At UNC Charlotte, he seemed at ease answering questions from students – typically with a smile and in great detail – on a wide range of topics, including Yemini extremism, Indian-Pakistani relations and nuclear disarmament.
But serving in Egypt’s top diplomatic post can make for long days. Some mornings, his colleagues in Cairo – either oblivious or indifferent to the six-hour time difference with Washington – call as early as 5 a.m. From then on, it’s often a series of meetings or speeches, as well as overseeing a diplomatic staff of about 250.
It’s sometimes difficult to attract the attention of the right policymakers in Washington, he says. And his assignment is open-ended. Unlike, say, negotiating a treaty, being the Egyptian ambassador to the U.S. has no natural point at which the job is finished. Each day brings new issues.
Typically, days end with a dinner. On an average week, he and his wife host two dinners and attend another three or four.
“It’s a challenge to keep off the weight,” he jokes.
To read the original article, please click here.
For more information, please contact Lindsay Mize at (202)777-3540 or lmize@clsdc.com.
This material is distributed by Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates on behalf of the Egyptian Press & Information Office. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
June 15, 2010
Egypt is attempting to ban smoking in public places, making Alexandria its first no smoking city by enforcing current bans in government buildings.
"It's a big public health problem," says the University of Alexandria’s Dr. Hassan Salam, who is heading research supporting the change in policy. "Smoking in Egypt is very common, unfortunately. Out of every 10 men, four smoke and more and more women are smoking now.
In Alexandria, local authorities first plan to enforce the existing law that prohibits smoking in government buildings. Within two years, the ban will be extended to include cafes.
Egypt hopes smoking rates will decline and that Alexandria will serve as an example for the rest of the country.
The read the original article, please click here.
For more information, please contact Lindsay Mize at (202)777-3540 or lmize@clsdc.com.
This material is distributed by Chlopak, Leonard, Schechter & Associates on behalf of the Egyptian Press & Information Office. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
June 7, 2010
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt -- Vice President Joe Biden issued the following statement today after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak:
"I am grateful to President Mubarak for his hospitality, and for the opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues. Egypt and the United States are partners in a shared desire to see peace and economic prosperity in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sudan. I thank Egypt for the leadership role it has played in supporting these priorities.
"Today, President Mubarak and I reiterated our commitment to reaching a comprehensive peace in the region. The United States recognizes and appreciates Egypt's leadership in support for these efforts. The status quo is unsustainable for all sides. It is vital to make progress in the proximity talks between Israelis and Palestinians to enable the parties to move to direct negotiations as soon as possible that will result in an end to the occupation that began in 1967 and to a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and a Palestinian state living in peace and security. In addition, we are consulting closely with Egypt, as well as our other partners, on new ways to address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza.
"In addition to the pressing priority of reaching comprehensive peace, we also discussed other areas of regional concern. We appreciate the vital role Egypt is playing in Afghanistan and its support for a strong, independent, unified and democratic Iraq.
"We discussed our serious concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. The international community continues to witness Iran’s non-compliance with its obligations to the United Nations Security Council and the International Agency for Atomic Energy, as well as Iran’s unwillingness to engage seriously with the P5+1 on its nuclear program. The United States remains committed to a diplomatic resolution to these serious issues, but we will continue to hold Iran accountable for its continued violations of its international responsibilities, in accordance with our dual-track policy. We expect to see developments in the United Nations Security Council to hold Iran accountable very soon. In addition to concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, we remain concerned about its destabilizing activities throughout the region, including with regard to its support for Hizballah and Hamas.
"We reaffirmed our commitment to supporting stability in Sudan, including Darfur, and the full implementation of Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and preparing for the referendum on southern self-determination in 2011.
"The United States looks forward to a continuing dialogue with Egypt on a broad range of interests, including Egypt’s ongoing political and economic reform. Elements such as respect for human rights and the need to continue working for a vibrant civil society and more open political competition are vital for Egypt to remain strong and serve as a model to the region. Egypt has made commitments as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, including accepting some of the Council’s recommendations. These commitments are important and I encourage Egypt to move ahead swiftly to implement fully those commitments and build upon that agenda."
To read text of the original statement, please click here.
May 26, 2010
The Huffington Post
By Ambassador Mahamat Adam Bechir and Ambassador Sameh Shoukry
As Africans came together in unity to celebrate Africa Day today on May 25, we reflect on the progress we have made and the challenges that remain as we work toward achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With only five years left until the 2015 deadline, dedicated resources and strong leadership from African nations are more important than ever. Over the past decade we have made great progress, but more needs to be done, especially in the area of health.
In 2001, Africa's heads of state signed the Abuja Declaration and committed to the eventual creation of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a public/private partnership and the largest multilateral financing institution in the fight against major causes of illness and mortality on our continent. Since then, The Global Fund has fostered stronger health systems in Africa, saved the lives of millions of women and children across the continent, strengthened economies of African countries through healthier workforces, and fostered partnerships between the public and private sectors.
2010 is a critical year as we strive to reach the MDG milestones for reducing childhood mortality, improving the lives of women and girls, and fighting infectious diseases. This year is also important for donor nations to pledge new resources to support Global Fund projects around the world.
The African Union Summit this July is a valuable opportunity to demonstrate African countries commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, especially in the health sector. We hope that the rest of the world will express similar commitment, and continue to pledge its increasing support to The Global Fund to help in achieving these goals. Investing in The Global Fund is an investment towards improving the lives of millions, and strengthening Africa now and in the future.
The authors are Co-Chairs of the Africa Day Commemoration in Washington, D.C.
To read this article from its original source, click here.
May 11, 2010
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His Excellency Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Ambassador to the United States; General David H. Petraeus, Commander United States Central Command; United States Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI)
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United States Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI) and his wife, Irene Hirano Inouye with Egyptian Defense, Military, Naval & Air Attaché Major General Mohamed Elkeshky and his wife, Malak Aly
Ambassador Sameh Shoukry hosted a social dinner at his residence on May 5th in honor of General David H. Petraeus, Commander of the United States Central Command.
The dinner presented an opportunity to recognize the importance of the Egyptian-American friendship and General Petraeus’ contributions to the relationship.
Attendees included: United States Senator Dan Inouye (D-HI), Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA), Assistant Secretaries of State Jeffrey Feltman and Andrew Shapiro, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Alexander Vershbow. Additional guests included friends of both Ambassador Shoukry and General Petraeus: former National Security Advisors Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft, and Jessica Mathews, President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
During the event, the commitment to strengthen the relationship between Egypt and the U.S. was reinforced.
April 29, 2010
World Bank
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a $7.15 million grant for Egypt, which will help finance the Alexandria Coastal Zone Management Project.
The grant will support the Government of Egypt’s efforts to reconcile economic development with environmental and social sustainability though the implementation of an integrated approach to coastal zone management, in particular the ongoing preparation of a National Strategy for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM).
"We are pleased that the GEF grant will support this project, which is in line with the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Egypt, namely to ensure environmental sustainability along with economic growth," said A. David Craig, Country Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti.
The objective of Alexandria Coastal Zone Management Project is to improve institutional mechanisms for the sustainable management of coastal zones in Alexandria, in particular to reduce land-based pollution to the Mediterranean Sea. The project will pilot innovative and low-cost technologies for pollution reduction originating from agricultural drainage water and rural domestic wastewater.
To read the full article, please click here.
April 23, 2010
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The “Boy King” returned to New York City on April 23, for the first time in 30 years. To commemorate the occasion, Egypt’s Ambassador to the United States H.E. Sameh Shoukry asked U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney to accept King Tut’s “passport” for safe keeping. The short ceremony took place at the Discovery Times Square Exposition immediately preceding the gala event celebrating the opening of the King Tut exhibit.
April 15, 2010
Bloomberg
Egypt recorded a 24 percent increase in tourism revenue in the first quarter of 2010 as the industry recovered from last year’s global financial crisis, said Egypt’s tourism minister, Zoheir Garranah.
According to Garranah, revenue increased to $2.7 billion for the three months through March, and tourist arrivals advanced 29 percent to 3.46 million visitors. “We have completely rebounded,” he said.
The modern Egyptian economy depends on tourism, foreign direct investment and the Suez Canal for foreign currency. Tourism, which accounts for more than 12 percent of jobs in modern Egypt, generated $10.76 billion in 2009, according to the ministry.
Besides its historical attractions, Egypt also draws tourists seeking sun, sand and diving along its Red Sea coast and in the Sinai Peninsula. Russia is still the largest source of tourists to Egypt, as arrivals from Russia grew 93.5 percent in the first quarter and revenue increased 80 percent over the same period in 2009, the minister said.
To read the full article, please click here.
April 6, 2010
News24
Antiquities officials from around the world will gather in Cairo on Wednesday to map out a strategy to recover ancient loot they say has been pillaged from their countries and displayed abroad.
Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) said the forum will discuss "the protection and restitution of cultural heritage."
Over the years, Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass has made the return of looted Egyptian artifacts the hallmark of his tenure and won many battles to bring home Pharaonic items and other ancient relics.
In March, Egypt said it retrieved from Britain some 25,000 ancient artifacts, including a stone axe dating back 200,000 years and pottery from the seventh millennium BC.
To read the full article, please click here.
March 31, 2010
BBC World News
Egypt’s national soccer team has moved up three places to fourteenth in the world, according to the latest Fifa world rankings released on Wednesday. With Hassan Shehata as their coach, The Pharaoh’s are the highest ranked soccer team in Africa.
World Cup-bound Cameroon is the only other team from the continent in the world's top 20.
Spain retained the top spot, while Portugal and England both improved their positions in the top 10.
To read the original article, please click here.
March 21, 2010
Washington Post
An international donors conference hosted by Egypt on Sunday raised $850 million for projects intended to ensure the safe return of nearly 3 million people displaced during the war in Darfur.
The one-day conference in Cairo, co-chaired by Egypt and Turkey, was organized by the 57-nation Organization of The Islamic Conference and included representatives from the U.S., European nations, U.N. agencies and aid groups.
Egypt said the conference highlighted the importance of development in achieving peace and stability in Darfur. It said many participants made unspecified aid pledges on top of the $850 million raised.
"The large participation and the pledges made reflect the wide extent of the international commitment and wish in supporting peace and stability in Darfur," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said, reading from the meeting's final communique.
To read the full article, please click here.
March 10, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Herbert Kercado, an agricultural specialist for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Miami, came across a rather interesting shipment a couple of years ago.
It came in a wooden crate which he closely inspected for the presence of beetles and other insect pests which could threaten trees and crops in the U.S. The crate was apparently clean, but its listed contents seemed peculiar: a wooden sarcophagus.
Kercado, a history buff who watches documentaries on TV, did some quick research, he says, "...through the internet. And [I] found out that some items were stolen from Egypt in the past." The ag specialist notified his superior, and an investigation was launched.
Special agent Vince Menditto, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) caught the case. He was suspicious right away because of the casual way the supposedly-ancient artifact was packed.
"There were no humidity-protection devices inside... There was no acid-free paper," observed the investigator -- just styrofoam peanuts, shredded newspaper, and a felt blanket.
The paperwork trail was a bit hazy also. The 3,000 year old artifact supposedly came from a Spanish museum to an American broker on behalf of a Canadian purchaser. None of the parties could prove the Egyptian government had ever given its permission for removal of this piece of its ancient civilization.
A U.S. judge approved the seizure of the sarcophagus, and competing claims of ownership eventually melted away.
March 8, 2010
NPR
As part of President Clinton’s effort to promote peace in the Middle East, he brokered an important trade agreement with Egypt that many believe saved the Egyptian textile industry. The deal established Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), and Haiti now wants its own version of the successful U.S. – Egyptian partnership.
QIZ, which has helped foster Egypt’s textile and readymade garment industries, allows Egypt to export items to the United States duty-free, provided that part of the product includes an Israeli item. The intended result is cooperation between Israel and Arab states and growing industries in Egypt.
Haiti, which doesn’t have a developed export apparel industry, is seeking a similar agreement with the United States, as part of its effort to rebuild after the historic earthquake in January.
To hear the original broadcast, please click here.
March 3, 2010
The fields along the Nile basin have supplied Egypt with an abundance of food for centuries, providing farmers with enough expertise to know how to grow the land properly. But that’s not the case for many of Egypt’s neighbors.
Egypt is well placed to help countries across Africa that struggle to feed their people, since it is rich in food supplies.
Poverty and food scarcity are crucial problems facing African nations, which is why leaders of the African Union met recently and approved a joint plan of action to enhance food security.
Only 4 percent of arable land in Africa and the Arab world is irrigated, leaving many countries to rely on rainfall for water. By comparison, Egypt has one of the oldest irrigation systems in the world and its vast experience has been sought out to help its African neighbors.
To view the original broadcast, please click here.
February 11, 2010
Zawya
Egypt’s first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) venture is on track to be completed in 2012, announced the Egyptian Ministry of Finance and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IFC hopes to finance five such projects in Egypt, and the first PPP venture will see the construction of an approximately $150 million wastewater facility on the outskirts of Cairo.
In May 2009, the government closed the international bidding for the project and awarded it to Orasqualia, a consortium between Egypt's Orascom Construction Industries and Spain's Aqualia and Aqualia Infrastructure.
With a capacity of 250,000 m3 the facility is expected to satisfy the sanitation needs of the growing settlements of New Cairo. The current population of New Cairo is 500,000 and is expected to increase to 3.8 million by 2029.
"We are actively working to collaborate with the private sector to meet the growing infrastructure demands in Egypt. This project is an important step towards setting the stage for future PPPs," said Rania Zayed, head of the PPP Central Unit at Egypt's Ministry of Finance.
To read the original article, please click here.
February 5, 2010
Delivered on January 21, 2010
Egypt’s national security, understood comprehensively, is my primary responsibility, and I will accept neither complacency nor half-measures in regards to it.
We live in an unstable world, and a difficult region. It would be a mistake to ignore the growing ring of instability extending from Afghanistan and Pakistan, through Iran, Iraq and Yemen, and to Somalia and Sudan.
It would be a mistake to ignore the growing tides of sectarianism in the Arab & African regions and the world as a whole, nor attempts to ignite discord between the people of one nation such as demands for quotas, incidents of violence and bloodshed, and attempts to use foreign powers for domestic leverage; and external interferences that fuels fires, and which act according to their own interests and agendas.
The criminal attack in Nagaa Hamaady has shaken the nation’s conscience, shocked our sensibilities, and pained the hearts of Muslim and Coptic Egyptians.
Notwithstanding the execution of my orders to quickly capture the perpetrators, and refer them to the Emergency State Security Court, this horrific incident against the Copts on the Christmas Eve demands that all of us, Muslims and Copts, take a serious and forthright stand with ourselves.
I have received numerous reports from state agencies, and fact finding missions, which lay out the details of this sinful attack, including its background, details, and possible motives.
I, as President of the Republic, and of all Egyptians, warn against the dangers of undermining the unity of our people, and of conflict between its Muslims and Copts, and I state, in the clearest possible terms, that I will not be lenient with those, from either side, who attempt to undermine it or show contempt for it.
I was commander of the Air College in 1968, when Israeli warplanes bombed Nagaa Hammadi, and destroyed the Qena bridge. On that day, there was no difference between the blood of a Muslim and a Christian among the victims of that aggression. When we fought the October War, the people of Egypt, from all sides, sacrificed their blood and lives, and lifted the Egyptian flag over Sinai.
We are witnessing incidents and phenomena that are alien to our society, driving it to ignorance and fanaticism, and fed by the absence of an enlightened religious discourse from the men of Al-Azhar and the Church.
A religious discourse that must be supported by our educational system, our media, and our writers and thinkers; One that confirms the values of citizenship, that religion belongs to God, and the nation belongs to all; One that promotes the understanding that religion is a matter between a human and his Lord, and that Muslim and Christian Egyptians are partners in one nation, and that they are faced with the same difficulties, and that they share the same aspirations for a better future for themselves, their children, and grandchildren.
This is a necessary and vital role that must be played by the wise and the reasoned of our nation from all sides; One that confronts sectarian incitement, contains extremism, and which strives to build an advanced Egyptian society and modern and civil state; One which calls upon Muslims and Copts to strive to build schools and hospitals, assist the poor, and serve the nation.
The normal frictions of the daily lives of citizens, if they should develop a sectarian dimension, become a time bomb that ignites discord, undermines both pillars of the nation, and harms the image of our society, opening the door to foreign attempts, which we refuse, to interfere in purely Egyptian affairs that concern the children of a single family, and single Egyptian society.
To both wings of our society, I say, in the clearest possible terms, that we shall confront any sectarian crimes, acts or behaviors with the force and resolve of the law, with swift and effective justice, and stern sentences that will impose the severest penalties against their perpetrators and inciters, and which will deter those who make light of the security of our nation and the unity of its people.
February 4, 2010
Reuters
The Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm el-Sheikh intends to slash its carbon emissions in the next decade to woo a growing class of eco-tourists, a senior government official who heads the $238 million project says.
Tourism is a crucial source of foreign currency and jobs in Egypt, accounting for about 11 percent of GDP.
"Tourists will pick places that are environmentally friendly and taking positive steps to reduce their carbon emissions," said Hisham Zaazou, a top official at the Tourism Ministry.
The plan is to introduce renewable energy schemes, cut water use and improve waste management to boost the environmental credentials of a resort where sprawling concrete hotel complexes have sprung up in recent decades.
Zaazou said the project would cost about 3 percent of the resort's annual revenues and the aim was for private investors to meet 48 percent of this.
"We are trying to entice the private sector to move in this direction," he said. He also added that several banks had indicated they would help with finance and some hotels were looking at putting in place energy saving schemes in their complexes.
To read the original article, please click here.
January 28, 2010
Wall Street Journal
Egypt's economy will continue to defy headwinds from the developed world this year, helped by a strong consumer and banking sector and by sustained inward investment, Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamad Rachid said Wednesday.
One of Africa's largest economies, Egypt managed to grow by 4.5% in 2009, a year when Europe and most of the developed world suffered its worst recession in 60 years, and Rachid said the government expects growth to quicken to 5% this year and 7% in 2011.
Rachid also said that the government is keen to attract more investment in renewable energy, especially wind power along the Red Sea coast in the east of the country--"one of the best natural wind tunnels in the world," as he described it.
Egypt, whose production of natural gas has trebled in the last decade, has set itself the target of sourcing 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.
To read the original article, please click here.
January 26, 2010
MSN Arabia
Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Energy Hassan Yunis said Friday Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would soon hammer out a framework deal for a 200 megawatts wind farm at the Gulf of Suez region in Egypt.
Egypt's New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and the UAE's state-owned Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company will be involved in the project, he added.
Egypt has already allowed the private sector to launch the first private wind farm project in Egypt with a capacity of 250 megawatts under the building, operating and transferring (BOT) system, he said.
The electricity sector in the country has taken all guarantees to ensure successful investment in wind farms, the minister added.
He expected Egypt's wind capacity to reach 7,200 megawatts by 2020.
To read the original article, please click here.
January 22, 2010
Al-Ahram
Fatakat, the first and largest of Egypt’s Internet forums geared to women has become a forum where friends share conversation and discourse on topics that range from modern Egyptian home-life to politics. It has been reported to be the second most-visited site in Egypt in 2009, according to Ratteb, a statistical source for Arabic websites.
Attracting the site's 180,000 members are Fatakat's 256,500 topics related to women, and the site has clocked up some five million visits since it went online in July 2007. Today, Fatakat attracts some 150,000 hits daily. The site aims to be for women "who have various experiences and knowledge that have enabled them to solve problems," Riri, co-founder of Fatakat, says.
Above all, for Riri the site is intended as an information platform for its members and a place where they can share stories and experiences, whether marital, financial, professional or parental. "[Members] teach each other foreign languages, recite the Quran and practise hobbies and handicrafts," she says.
Though all the members of the site have nicknames, many of them also know each other personally. "Some of our members visited my mother when she was in hospital last week. There is a good spirit among members, and I sometimes feel that Fatakat is like one big family," The Reality, a 21-year-old member of the site says.
To read the original article, please click here.
January 19, 2010
ISRIA
Today, President Hosni Mubarak gave orders to the Egyptian Government to send urgent medical relief to Haiti, following the devastating earthquake of January 11.
Egyptian humanitarian and medical relief will be sent in coordination with the international community's efforts to provide aid for the victims in Haiti.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit placed several calls to his Latin American counterparts to discuss the most efficient means to deliver relief. Aboul Gheit is currently urging Arab countries and members of the Non-Alignment Movement—currently chaired by Egypt—to provide medical and humanitarian relief to the people of Haiti.
To read the original article, please click here.
January 4, 2010
Reuters
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to discuss the resumption of peace talks with Israel.
Israel, Egypt and the United States want Abbas to resume negotiations broken off a year ago over the Gaza war, but he refuses to sit down to talks as long as Israel allows construction of any kind in Jewish West Bank settlements.
There have been signs that progress was being made toward renewing the negotiations. An aide to Abbas said last week the region would "see important political activity in the next two weeks." Israel's ambassador to Washington Michael Oren has said Mubarak has a key role to play in resuming talks.
U.S. President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell is expected to return to the region early this year, and Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Head Omar Suleiman are due to visit Washington on Friday.
Abbas said he did not know what had happened in talks between Mubarak and Netanyahu in Cairo last week, and added he did not wish to comment on that meeting until after Aboul Gheit and Suleiman returned from Washington.
To read the full article please click here.
December 3, 2009
Founder of Arab Global Forum discusses conference and U.S.-Arab world relationship
The Arab Global Forum will take place December 7-8, 2009, in Washington, D.C. This groundbreaking event will bring together Arab business leaders, along with experts, policy-makers and senior executives of international corporations with direct involvement or keen interest in the Arab region to lay the foundations for expanding business and economic cooperation.
Today, the Arab world countries represent a total GDP of about 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars. Under the theme, “The Arab World in a New Global Context: Challenges, Choices and Opportunities,” this first meeting of the Arab Global Forum will look into changes in the region and at emerging business forces in the Arab World.
Shafik Gabr, the founder and convener of the conference, is not only a prominent Egyptian investor and philanthropist, but also a man with a vision for his country and the Arab world. The level of hope and energy President Obama injected into the region last June has been astounding, and Shafik wants both Americans and Arabs to harness that energy into concrete action.
On Wednesday, December 2, Shafik did a live interview with FoxBusiness where he discussed the current stock market crisis in Dubai and how it impacts investment in the Middle East.
November 16, 2009
Egypt applies for first Arabic domain name
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Tarek Kamel and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Hani Helal announced today that Egypt had signed up to acquire the first Arabic domain name suffixed ".misr.”
According to Kamel, Egypt is the first Arab nation to apply for a non-Latin character domain. The effort is part of a broader push to expand both access and content in developing nations, where the Internet remains out of reach for wide swaths of the population. Domain names ended by “.misr” will then be available on search engines for internet users to find.
"It is a great moment for us," Kamel said of the domain name, which translates as ".Egypt".
The registering of the domain "will offer new avenues for innovation, investment and growth, and hence we can truly and gladly say ... the Internet now speaks Arabic," Kamel said at the start of the Internet Governance Forum — a U.N. - sponsored gathering that drew Net legends like Yahoo Inc.'s Jerry Yang and Tim Berners-Lee, known as one of the Internet's founding fathers.
The new domains stem from a decision taken at the end of October by the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a key Internet oversight agency, to develop a "fast-track" mechanism for domain names in languages such as Chinese, Korean, Arabic and others that do not use the Latin alphabet.
Yang said that while there are over 300 million Arabic speakers in the world, less than 1 percent of the content online is in Arabic.
The challenge "isn't just about getting as many people online as possible, but making sure that once they get online, they have something productive to do, something to gain, something meaningful to experience."
To read the November 15th AP article, please click here.
To read the press release put out by the Egypt Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, please click here.
November 11, 2009
I was shocked as any sensible human being was when I learned about the senseless, appalling and cowardly act of violence in Fort Hood. This horrific attack is a complete violation of Islamic law and norms and the perpetrator is no way representative of the Muslim people or the religion of Islam. God upholds the sanctity of life as a universal principle. "and do not kill one another, for God is indeed merciful unto you" says the Quran in (4:29). Islam views murder as both a crime punishable by law in this world and as major sin punishable in the Afterlife as well. Prophet Mohammad said, "The first cases to be decided among the people on the Day of Judgment will be those of blood-shed"
The Islam that we were taught in our youth is a religion that calls for peace and mercy. The first prophetic saying that is taught to a student of Islam is "Those who show mercy are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Show mercy to those who are on earth and the One in the heavens will show mercy to you." What we have learned about Islam has been taken from the clear, pristine, and scholarly understanding of the Qur'an, "O people we have created you from a single male and female and divided you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another." When God said "to know one another" He did not mean in order to kill one another. All religions have forbidden the killing of innocents. To kill an innocent human being is tantamount to killing the entire humanity.
Let me be clear by reiterating that Islam is utterly against extremism and terrorism but unless we understand the factors that provide a rationalization for terrorism and extremism we will never be able to eradicate this scourge. This must be understood in order to build a better future that can bring an end to this grave situation that is destroying the world.
My heart, my thoughts, and my prayers go out to the families who lost their loved ones. We offer our deepest and sincerest condolences to the families of the victims and pray for a speedy recovery of the wounded. We demand the perpetrator to be brought to justice and stand the trial.
However, it was unfortunate to see hasty responses and reactions which immediately jumped on Islam within minutes of the first news reports of the incident. Blaming an entire religion because of the acts of this not-well man is patently unfair and serves no purpose.
It is important for us at this time of great sadness to stand together and process this horrific incident in a way that is fair and reasonable. It is important that we do not demonize Muslims without cause not because it is good for Muslims, but because our future ability to coexist in peace depends on it.
Dr. Ali Gomaa is Grand Mufti of Egypt.
November 9, 2009
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton consults with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.
Cairo, Egypt -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last Wednesday she took on the "complicated and difficult" task of trying to restart talks on Israeli-Palestinian peace during her talks with Egypt's leaders.
Egypt is "an essential partner" in that effort, she said.
"President Obama, special envoy [George] Mitchell -- who is here with me today -- and I are all deeply and personally committed to achieving a two-state solution and comprehensive peace between Israelis, Palestinians and all of their Arab neighbors," Clinton said at a joint news conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit.
Clinton met with Aboul Gheit and other Egyptian leaders before consulting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. She said she felt "very satisfied by what we accomplished on this trip" despite the complex issues at hand.
November 3, 2009
Lecture:
“Human Rights, Democracy & Legislative Reforms: A Vision From Egypt”
Sponsored by:
Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies
Wednesday, November 4, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
CCAS Boardroom, ICC 241
Please join us for a lecture by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Fathi Sorour, President of the People's Assembly of Egypt, which will focus on political reform in support of human rights and democracy in Egypt from past to present to future.
Dr. Sorour is the President of the People's Assembly of Egypt, one of the two houses that constitute Egypt's parliament. Throughout his career he has held many distinguished positions, including that of Minister of Education, President of the Supreme Council of Universities and several high-level administrative roles at Cairo University.
He obtained his PhD in Criminal Law from Cairo University, his LLM from the University of Michigan, and his BS from Cairo University. Dr. Fathi Sorour is the President of the Egyptian People's Assembly, one of the two houses that constitute Egypt's parliament.
To attend this event, please RSVP here.
Contact:
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies
E-mail: ccasevents@georgetown.edu
October 22, 2009
Stars and Stripes
Retired Four Star Marine Corps General and former commander of U.S. Central Command, Anthony C. Zinni, commented on the history and benefits of the biennial Bright Star military exercises, currently taking place in Egypt, in today’s Stars and Stripes. For nearly thirty years the United States has taken part in the exercises, training in Egypt along side Egyptian and coalition troops, to improve interoperability and foster better cooperation among allied nations.
Zinni writes: “To keep our borders safe, sometimes it is necessary to project power outside them. Afghanistan is the obvious example of this — the mission to ensure that Afghanistan does not once again become a breeding ground from which terrorists can attack America and the rest of the world is a complicated-but-necessary one.
But what is less noticed by the media is the other way in which America’s armed forces interact in the Middle East and the Arab world — namely through training missions with key allies. If asked in what region does the U.S. military for 30 years hold its largest foreign training exercise, few people would guess the Middle East. Yet right now, we are seeing such an exercise with American forces taking place in the desert sands of Egypt.
Bright Star, as this exercise is called, takes place every two years and is a direct outcome of the 1979 Camp David Accords. For nearly three decades the U.S. and Egyptian militaries have worked together — a relationship that is highlighted and strengthened when our forces go to Egypt for Bright Star. These two weeks of training are now an invaluable part of U.S. Central Command’s engagement strategy, dramatically improving our readiness and interoperability.”
To read the full text of the op-ed, please click here.
October 19, 2009
The Suzanne Mubarak Regional Center for Women’s Health and Development and the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt is creating a new partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer advocacy organization, to create a Race for the Cure at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on October 24.
The race is being organized under the direction of First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and supported by different organizations from Egypt and the U.S. Breast cancer advocates from the U.S. and the Middle East will gather in Egypt to increase breast cancer awareness throughout the region.
Dr. Mohamed Shaalan, chairman of the Breast Cancer Foundation in Egypt, said “the week’s events are a demonstration of the cooperation between countries, governments, civil society, advocates, survivors and the global community as a whole. It shows that breast cancer has no boundaries and reveals the beauty of the world’s unity in its fight against breast cancer …”
A series of events will take place during the week of October 21-27, including the training and commemorations in Alexandria on October 21-22 and the University of Florida’s Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Cancer Disease on October 24-27.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
October 15, 2009
Reuters
Egypt's GB Auto will form a subsidiary to help buyers purchase on credit vehicles from India's Bajaj a move that would allow GB to expand sales among lower income groups, GB said on Thursday.
The venture would acquire Bajaj-branded motorcycles and threewheelers (tuk tuks) already imported and assembled by GB Auto and allow them to be sold to consumers unable to obtain mainstream financing, the company said in a statement.
"This venture will bring GB Auto products to new customers and address a gap in available credit that is restricting sales in a fast-growing line of business," Chief Executive Officer Raouf Ghabbour said in the statement.
GB Auto, Egypt's biggest listed automobile maker and assembler, said motorcycle and threewheeler sales totaled 500 million Egyptian pounds ($91.3 million) in 2008 and would more than double over the next three years.
Threewheelers made by Bajaj hold a 95 percent market share of such vehicles sold in Egypt and its motorcycles account for one of every four motorcycles sold in the most populous Arab country.
Read the article here.
October 14, 2009
Reuters
United Arab Emirates-based Dana Gas said on Tuesday it had made two gas finds in Egypt with reserves totaling an estimated 86 billion cubic feet.
The gas was located in Faraskur-1 and Marzouk-2 in one of its concessions in the Egyptian Nile Delta, the company said in a statement.
"The discoveries at the Marzouk-2 and Faraskur-1 wells represent the eighth and ninth discoveries from our 2008-09 drilling campaign in the Nile Delta," said Chief Executive Ahmed al-Arbeed.
"The ... drilling campaign is continuing to yield very positive results, boosting Dana Gas' production and profitability," he added.
The Faraskur-1 discovery, which is alone expected to add up to 73 billion cubic feet to the company's Egyptian reserves, is located in the West El Manzala Concession, the statement said.
Dana Gas, which relies on Egypt for the bulk of its income, said last year that it planned to invest about $500 million in Egypt and Iraq's Kurdish region in 2009 to boost natural gas output.
To read the full article, please click here.
October 8, 2009
Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt, stressed the ideals of a modern peaceful Muslim world in the Wall Street Journal today. He asked the United States to “confront the fear and misunderstanding” about Islam, strive to reinforce common principles while accepting the reality of differences in values, and commit to the rule of law as the “legitimate basis for international relations.”
Dr. Gomaa is one of the world’s preeminent scholars of Islamic Law. He presides over the Dar Al Ifta, Egypt’s supreme body for Islamic legal edicts, advising Muslims on how to abide by their faith in an enlightened manner while dealing with the changing circumstances of a modern world. This week he is visiting Washington D.C. to attend a meeting of the Common Word, a global initiative to explore and promote the common ground between two great faiths: Christianity and Islam.
To read the full piece in the Wall Street Journal, click here.
Islam, Israel and the United States
Peace among the Abrahamic faiths will be built on respect and the law.
By SHEIKH ALI GOMAA, WSJ, 10/8/09
America and the West have been victims of violent extremists acting in the name of Islam, the tragic events of 9/11 being only the most egregious of their attacks. Western officials and commentators are consumed by the question, "Where are the moderates?" Many, seeing only the extremism perpetuated by a radical few, despair of finding progressive and peaceful partners of standing in the Muslim world.
However, reconciling Islam with modernity has been an imperative for Muslims before it became a preoccupation for the West. In particular, the process dates back to the 19th century, when what became known as the Islamic reform movement was born in Al Azhar University in Cairo, Islam's premiere institution of learning.
At the Dar al Iftaa, Egypt's supreme body for Islamic legal edicts over which I preside, we wrestle constantly with the issue of applying Islam to the modern world. We issue thousands of fatwas or authoritative legal edicts—for example affirming the right of women to dignity, education and employment, and to hold political office, and condemning violence against them. We have upheld the right of freedom of conscience, and of freedom of expression within the bounds of common decency. We have promoted the common ground that exists between Islam, Christianity and Judaism. We have underscored that governance must be based on justice and popular sovereignty. We are committed to human liberty within the bounds of Islamic law. Nonetheless, we must make more tangible progress on these and other issues.
Yet, just as we recommit to reinforcing the values of moderation in our faith, we look to the United States to assume its responsibility for the sake of a better relationship between the West and Islam.
First, it is essential that the U.S. confront the fear and misunderstanding that has often pervaded the public discourse about Islam, especially in the media.
Second, while we must strive to reinforce the common principles that we share, we must also accept the reality of differences in our values and in our outlook. Islam and the West have distinct value systems. Respect for our differences is a foundation for coexistence, and never for conflict.
Finally, there must a true commitment to the rule of law, and to sovereign equality, as the legitimate basis for international relations. While some of the divide between Islam and the West lies in the realm of ideas, it lies mostly in the realm of politics. The violence and the aggression to which many Muslim countries have been subjected are the main sources of a deep and legitimate sense of grievance, and they must be addressed.
Israel's occupation of Palestine must be brought to an end; its continuation is an affront to the fundamental tenets of justice and freedom that we all seek to uphold. In Iraq and Afghanistan, full sovereignty and independence must be restored to their people with the withdrawal of all foreign forces. President Barack Obama's historic address to the Muslim world from Cairo on June 4 was a landmark event that opened the door to a new relationship between Islam and the West, precisely because it acknowledged these imperatives. Yet much work needs to be done by both sides.
October 3, 2009
Reuters
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has urged Israel to open talks with the Palestinians on the full range of issues blocking the path to peace.
Mubarak said they should move straight to the six "final status" issues: borders, the status of Jerusalem, refugees, Israeli settlements in occupied territory, security and use of water.
"What is required now is political will, particularly by the leaders of Israel," Mubarak said in an interview with the newspaper al-Quwat al-Musallaha (The Armed Forces).
Mubarak said he was in regular contact with Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
He said talks should resume where they left off under the previous Israeli government.
"It is not reasonable or acceptable to start from scratch. I told them that the negotiations should address all six final status issues without exception," he said.
Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, the first Arab state to do so.
Mubarak said that agreement, which saw Israel withdraw troops and settlers from Egypt's Sinai peninsula, should be seen as a model for future pacts between Israel and the Palestinians and other Arab states.
To read the full article please click here.
October 1, 2009
Associated Press
Egypt will offer two licenses to provide telecommunications services for upscale suburbs outside the capital, including fixed lines, a government official said Wednesday, in a move expected to bring in $1 billion worth of investments over the next five years.
Communication and Information Technology Minister Tarek Kamel said the licenses will be granted to a pair of consortia to operate internet, cable TV and phone services within these communities springing up around Cairo.
"These two additional licenses are for inviting consortia to come in from the private sector whether locally or internationally," said Kamel, speaking on the sidelines of the Euromoney Egypt conference.
The companies will not be required to submit an upfront payment, but the licenses would be based on a revenue sharing program in which the government would get 8 percent of the proceeds of operations within these compounds.
Telecom Egypt, the state-owned company, would still operate in these communities, including fixed line services.
Over the last few years, Cairo has been expanding and its developers have invested billions of dollars in new housing communities in the desert catering to upper- and middle-income Egyptians.
The government's move also indicates a shift in the responsibility for providing infrastructure from the state to private developers.
Click here to read more
September 17, 2009
AFP
In partnership with Travco, a tourism group in Egypt, Air Arabia has announced its plans to launch a new low-cost airline in Egypt with destinations to Europe, Middle East and Africa. Air Arabia, the first low-cost airline in the Middle East, has announced a 21 percent increase in net profits for the first half of 2009 despite its many competitors and the global financial downturn. Egypt is the airline’s third hub after Morocco and UAE.
Cairo International Airport is already the second busiest airport in Africa, after Johannesburg International in South Africa, and also the fastest growing airport in the Middle East. The Air Arabia expansion is expected to boost the Egyptian tourism sector even more - a significant benefit to the Egyptian economy, which has already outperformed expectations this year growing at 4.7 percent.
September 14, 2009
Al-Ahram
Ambassador Mushira Mhamoud Khatab, Minister of State for Family and Population, headed the Egyptian delegation to the International Conference on Violence against women in Rome last week, where she chaired a special session on the right to education and gave a presentation on the Egyptian initiative on girls education which is being implemented under the auspices of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood.
Ambassador Khatab asserted Egypt’s commitment to the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative, which aims to reduce the gender gap in schooling and to give girls equal access to all levels of education.
The Egyptian Girls Education Initiative has been described in a United Nations Children’s Fund report as being “the creation of a new generation of schools for a new generation of women—women who are educated, empowered, and eager to take their rightful place in society, as equal partners in its development, be it in the family, in the community, or beyond”.
Please click here to read the article on the Al-Ahram website.
Please click here to read the UNICEF report, "The Girls' Education Initiative in Egypt."
September 7, 2009
Bloomberg
The Egyptian government targets export growth of as much as 15 percent in the fiscal year through June 2010, Trade and Industry Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid said.
“This all depends on the rest of the world, because our main targets, our main markets are the United States and Europe,” Rachid said today in an interview at his office in central Cairo.
The global financial crisis dragged Egypt’s exports down 14.3 percent to $25.2 billion in the past fiscal year, according to the central bank.
Expansion of the domestic construction and communications industries offset the decline in Egypt’s main hard currency earners, helping the economy beat IMF forecast and expand 4.7 percent.
Expectations for strong growth in exports are backed by the fact that the so-called “capacity utilization” in Egyptian factories has been maintained during the height of the financial crisis, Rachid said.
“We haven’t seen layoffs. We haven’t seen any drop in production,” he said. “So if that had been the case during the crisis, I am hoping that we are going to resume growth next year.”
The government has allocated 4 billion Egyptian pounds ($724 million) in the current budget to support exports, the minister said.
The government is targeting an economic expansion of as much as 5.5 percent in the current fiscal year, Economic Development Minister Osman Mohamed Osman, said last month.
“I am a bit cautious about how fast we will recover from 4.7 percent to 6, 7 percent,” Rachid said, forecasting that the economy would expand about 5 percent.
September 3, 2009
Egypt's State Council will employ female law graduates within its ranks for the first time, daily newspaper Al-Shorouk reported Sunday.
The State Council, or Council of State, is the administrative court that presides over disputes pertaining to contracts and decrees issued by government officials and ministries. Governmental agencies often have in-house representatives from the State Council who advise on all administrative law matters.
State Council head Mohammad Husseini said nothing exists in the Egyptian Constitution or under Islamic law that prevents a woman from occupying an administrative judicial post, and women are employed in high ranking judicial positions in Gulf States.
Husseini added that the decision was taken on the basis of intense discussions within the State Council and that the decision was not imposed by an external political authority.
Leaders of women’s rights organizations praised President Hosni Mubarak’s work to end discrimination. Farkhanda Hassan, Secretary General of the National Council for Women, said, “this approach truly reflects the equality women achieve and it came in light of the implementation of President Mubarak’s directives to stop discrimination against women, and expressed its confidence in the ability of women to work in the judiciary sector.”
August 27, 2009
The Egyptian economy expanded 4.7 percent in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, beating forecasts by economists and the International Monetary Fund of 4 percent to 4.5 percent.
“The Egyptian economy is starting to overcome the financial crisis,” government spokesman Magdy Rady told reporters today in Cairo. Economic Development Minister Osman Mohamed Osman and Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali had announced the data earlier to Bloomberg News.
In the third quarter of the 2009 fiscal year the economy’s growth rate was 4.3 percent, and in the fourth quarter the growth rate increased to 4.6 percent.
“This proves that the economy was more resilient than expected,” said Mohamed Abu Basha, an economist at Cairo-based investment bank EFG-Hermes.
August 7, 2009
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Gheit announced at a press conference last Monday that H.E. President Mubarak will be on an official visit to the U.S. capital in Mid-August for 3 days, adding that the President would be holding talks with leading American officials, at the forefront of which is President Barack Obama, and including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of Defense, and officials of the National Security Council, and the Central Intelligence Agency.
Minister Abu El-Gheit described the upcoming visit as extremely important particularly in light of the fact that it comes on the heels of a period of distance between Cairo and Washington, adding that there was a desire by both sides to restore these relations to their natural track.
Minister Abu El-Gheit noted that the President Mubarak’s discussions in the Washington would be focused on strengthening bilateral relations, and on regional issues, foremost among which are Palestine, and American efforts to push the peace process between Israel and her Arab neighbors forward, particularly in light of the new American Administration’s desire to cooperate with Egypt on the situation in the region. The Minister added that these discussions would also address the situation in Sudan and Darfur and steps towards the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement between the North and South, which are challenges that are of mutual concern to Cairo and Washington, as well as on exchanging views on how to deal with the Iranian nuclear file.
July 22, 2009
Business 24/7
Egypt's UAE investments increased to $3.9 billion by the end of April, a 34.5 percent increase over the previous year, according to Abdel Rahman A. Raouf, Commercial Counselor at the Egyptian Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Counselor commented that there are still significant opportunities to increase the volume of trade exchange between Egypt and the UAE.
"Trade exchange between Egypt and the UAE increased threefold in 2007 and 2008, as it rose from $390 million in 2007 to $1.4 billion in 2008. We noticed in 2008 and the beginning of 2009 there is a big increase in exports and imports between the two countries and this is a result of the development of political relations," Counselor Raouf said.
The Counselor added, "Official statistics show foreign direct investments (FDI) in Egypt rose from $354.6 million in 2000 to $13.2 billion in 2008. The FDI in oil sector totaled $4.1 billion, while they arrived at $9.1 billion in non-oil sectors."
Egypt is an attractive investment for other countries and, based on the depth of its domestic economy, has enormous growth potential. In addition, it is close in proximity to key markets such as Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa and the Gulf states.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
July 17, 2009
BBC
In an effort to secure peace in Darfur, President Hosni Mubarak hosts talks with the Sudanese government and rebel groups.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently held talks with the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir. The meeting is part of efforts by Egypt to encourage negotiations between the Sudanese government and rebel groups. Egyptian officials had previously met with leaders of six guerrilla groups.
Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, leader of the United Resistance Front, one of the rebel groups attending the talks, said Egypt would "play a very important" unifying role in the coming days.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said his country had a strategic interest in helping to secure peace in Darfur.
"There may be friendly countries or the United Nations or regional countries which have interests and try to achieve peace and stability in Darfur, and this is something we support and push for...but Egypt has shared borders with Sudan," he said.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
July 13, 2009
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will meet in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, the Indian government confirmed Thursday.
Egypt will play host to the 15th Non-Aligned Movement Summit on July 15-16th and the two prime ministers are scheduled to meet beforehand.
An AFP article cited the reasons for the meeting as being an effort to achieve a normalcy of relations between the two countries; peace talks between the two countries have been suspended since the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.
To read the full text of the CNN article, please click here.
To read the full text of the AFP article, please click here.
July 7, 2009
Israeli President Shimon Peres will head to Cairo on Tuesday for talks with Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, his office said on Sunday.
The two presidents will discuss the latest developments in the Middle East peace process and the issue of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was seized by Gaza Strip militants three years ago, it said in a statement.
Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement have been holding indirect talks via Egypt on a prisoner exchange that would see Shalit freed in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails.
Egypt is Israel's most important Arab ally and the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with the Jewish state.
July 2, 2009
In a Financial Times article by Michael Kavanagh, Egypt is listed among the countries registering the biggest improvement in levels of peace, according to the Global Peace Index.
A marked economic slowdown in the global economy and rising fuel and food prices combined to make the world a "slightly less peaceful place" according to the latest Global Peace Index.
Countries registering the biggest improvement in their levels of peace were Bosnia-Herzegovina, Angola, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Not surprisingly, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Israel and Sudan made up the bottom rankings, as they are the most affected by military conflict, civil war, and threat of attack.
To read the complete text of the article, please click here.
To view Global Peace Index Rankings, please click here.
June 29, 2009
Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Tarek Mohamed Kamel, has signed a deal with Google to expand Arab-language content. He revealed it during a visit to Washington, D.C. last week where he met officials in the Obama administration and 'father of the internet' Vint Cerf.
Washington Times reporter Mark Kellner met with the Minister last week to discuss the Google deal, Egypt as an ICT hub in the Middle East, and internet freedom and governance issues.
During the interview, the Minister told the Times, "our (Egypt's) policy line has been always trying to keep the Internet open, trying to keep it as a platform really for development, socioeconomic development, open as much as we can."
"We try, on a regional level within the councils that we are a member [of], whether it is the African Council of Ministers ICT or the Arab Council of Ministers or ICT, to deliver the message to keep the Internet as open as we can, and as much as we can," he added.
Egypt is due to host the Internet Governance Forum in November at Sharm el Sheikh.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
June 29, 2009
Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Tarek Mohamed Kamel, has signed a deal with Google to expand Arab-language content. He revealed it during a visit to Washington, D.C. last week where he met officials in the Obama administration and ';father of the internet' Vint Cerf.
Washington Times reporter Mark Kellner met with the Minister last week to discuss the Google deal, Egypt as an ICT hub in the Middle East, and internet freedom and governance issues.
During the interview, the Minister told the Times, "our (Egypt's) policy line has been always trying to keep the Internet open, trying to keep it as a platform really for development, socioeconomic development, open as much as we can."
"We try, on a regional level within the councils that we are a member [of], whether it is the African Council of Ministers ICT or the Arab Council of Ministers or ICT, to deliver the message to keep the Internet as open as we can, and as much as we can," he added.
Egypt is due to host the Internet Governance Forum in November at Sharm el Sheikh.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
June 19, 2009
The outlines of the settlement are obvious By HOSNI MUBARAK
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak outlined his vision for peace in the Middle East and a settlement between Israelis and Palestinians in an op-ed in today's Wall Street Journal.
"A historic settlement is within reach, one that would give the Palestinians their state and freedom from occupation while granting Israel recognition and security to live in peace. With President Obama's reassertion of U.S. leadership in the region, a rare moment of opportunity presents itself. Egypt stands ready to seize that moment, and I am confident that the Arab world will do the same." wrote Mubarak.
To read the full text of the op-ed, please click here.
To read coverage of the op-ed from Reuters, please click here.
June 15, 2009
AFP
CAIRO - Egypt's parliament has passed a law allocating a quota of 64 seats in the lower house to women, in what a minister said on Monday was aimed at promoting their role in society.
The new law adopted on Sunday will give women more than 12 percent of the seats in an expanded parliament after the next election in 2010, Minister of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mufid Shehab said.
It raises the total number of seats in the People's Assembly from 454 - including 10 appointed by the president - to 518. Nine women were elected to parliament in the last election in 2005.
Parliament speaker Fathi Sorour described the law's approval as "an historic event" for Egyptian women.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
June 11, 2009
Amro Hassan
Cairo, Egypt - It looks like there may be more women in the stuffy chambers of the Egyptian parliament. A new election law is set to include an additional 56 seats, all of which will be allocated to female candidates, according to Gamal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak and a key figure in the ruling National Democratic Party.
In its convention this week, the NDP's policies committee agreed on a proposal to increase the number of seats in the People's Assembly to 510 from 454 during the next elections. Mubarak confirmed that the new elections law amendments should guarantee that at least 11 percent of the new parliament members will be women.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
Egypt's 11 percent female representation in the legislature is not far behind the United States, where women make up 17 percent of the U.S. Congress. Conversely, Egypt is ahead of its neighbors: women make up 8 percent of Kuwait's parliament and women hold 2 percent of parliamentary seats in Lebanon.
June 9, 2009
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO, June 9 (Reuters) - Egypt's intelligence chief held talks with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Tuesday aimed at containing a crisis after West Bank raids by Western-backed Palestinian security forces on Hamas targets sparked clashes.
Damascus-based Meshaal's visit to Cairo is his first in many months, and the talks come two days after Egyptian officials met leaders from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group, which launched last week's raids that killed nine people in ensuing violence in the West Bank city of Qalqilya.
Egyptian officials met with Ahmed Qurei on Sunday, who leads Fatah negotiators in Cairo-sponsored reconciliation talks, to find ways to sustain talks and end clashes, arrests and counter-arrests by forces loyal to Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nono said Tuesday's talks would focus on the repercussions of last week's raids and hoped Egypt would help "compel the Palestinian Authority to stop the assaults against our people in the West Bank".
Egyptian mediators stepped up pressure on the groups to form a unity government by setting a July 7 deadline to bridge divisions. That would prepare the ground for a gradual restoration of unity and allow holding presidential and parliamentary election in January 2010.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
June 8, 2009
BBC
On June 2, 2009, President Obama gave his first interview to the BBC, and spoke to North America Correspondent Justin Webb about the Middle East. The interview took place two days before President Obama gave an historic address to the Muslim World from Cairo, Egypt. In the interview, President Obama was asked for his opinion of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Justin Webb: Do you regard President Mubarak as an authoritarian ruler?
President Obama: No, I tend not to use labels for folks. I haven't met him. I've spoken to him on the phone.
He has been a stalwart ally in many respects, to the United States. He has sustained peace with Israel, which is a very difficult thing to do in that region.
But he has never resorted to, you know, unnecessary demagoging of the issue, and has tried to maintain that relationship. So I think he has been a force for stability. And good in the region.
To read the full text of the article, please click here.
June 4, 2009
Gamal Mubarak, son of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, was interviewed by ABC Co-Anchor Christopher Cuomo; the interview aired on ABC's Good Morning America immediately following President Obama's address to the Muslim World.
Mr. Mubarak commented on the U.S. role in the Middle East and President Obama's trip to the Middle East, "If you really want to address the real issue in the region, if you are to re-establish U.S. leadership in that very important part of the world, this is the beginning and the start of a message of respect, a message of understanding, a message of reaching out... this is a sign of strength."
Mr. Mubarak currently holds the position of Deputy Secretary General of the National Democratic Party (NDP) of Egypt, which holds a large majority of seats in the Egyptian parliament. He also heads the party's policies-setting committee within the NDP.
Please click here for video of the interview
Egyptian Prime Minister Doctor Ahmed Nazif was interviewed by CBS News Correspondent Lara Logan; the interview aired on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric Wednesday evening, June 3.
Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif told Lara Logan that the speech came at a critical time. "Time is working against us," Nazif said. "I think time is of the essence - we need to work fast and this is the message we've been getting from the administration...and I think it's very important that it would happen in the first year of this administration."
The Prime Minister was primarily talking about ending violence between Israelis and Palestinians, "The Israeli-Palestinian issue is the core - you solve this problem and you'll find that many other issues have to fall in line," Nazif said.
Prime Minister Nazif, the second youngest prime minister in the history of modern Egypt, has led a team of technocrats which has successfully modernized Egypt's economy, reduced inflation and produced a number of significant constitutional reforms. He is also known for his expertise in information technology (IT) and telecommunications.
June 2, 2009
Muslims should not use weapons of mass destruction and possess them only as a deterrent, a top Islamic cleric says.
The Grand Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa said the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction would violate Islamic teachings, as Muslims as well as non-Muslims could be killed.
He issued the religious ruling, or fatwa, following reports that the use of such weapons was legitimate, the state news agency Mena said.
The Associated Press quoted the Grand Mufti as saying, "This constitutes a surprise (attack), and killing of the unaware. It is not sanctioned to kill them," Gomaa said. "This act also would necessitate killing and annihilating Muslims in those countries," which is unlawful in Islam. - Associated Press, May 31, 2009
His ruling comes just days before the visit to Cairo of U.S. President Barack Obama. Mr. Obama, who arrives on 4 June, is expected to give a speech on U.S. relations with the Muslim world.
To read the full text of the article, click here.
May 18, 2009
By SAMEH SHOKRY
Egypt's ambassador to the United States
The White House recently announced that President Barack Obama will deliver his much-anticipated address to the Muslim world from Egypt in early June. This decision has been warmly received and appreciated by Egyptians, Arabs and the Muslim world at large. Some may wonder why President Obama chose Egypt rather than other attractive venues
In my view, President Obama chose to address the leaders and people of the Muslim world from the very heart of the old world. His decision reflects an understanding of Egypt's rich civilization and its valuable contributions to intellectual thought and cultural exchange throughout the millennia. Along with its promotion of international tolerance, understanding and reconciliation in the modern world, these factors make Egypt the springboard of U.S. engagement in the Middle East.
Moreover, Egypt has long been the locomotive for political, economic and social development in the modern Middle East. It was in Egypt that the region saw its first constitution, its first parliament, and indeed the first to embody the institutions of a modern nation state, all of this dating to the early 19th century.
Thirty years ago, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace accord with Israel and established the framework by which other Arab states and Israel have created their own peace. To this day, Egypt continues to work toward fostering a lasting peace between its neighbors, brokering a permanent cessation of hostilities in Gaza, holding Palestinian unity talks and confronting radical ideology within its own borders. In many ways, Egypt is the arbiter of peace and the force of moderation in the Middle East.
With more than 500 newspapers, journals and magazines and an estimated 162,000 bloggers, making up 30 percent of Arab bloggers worldwide, political discussion and debate within Egypt about the future of the Arab and Muslim world is extensive, and tends to set the tone for such debate among Arabs and Muslims.
Beyond the politics of the Middle East, Egypt is the Arab world's largest and most populous nation. Long at the center of Islamic intellectual thought and learning, Egypt's tradition of religious tolerance and cultural diversity embodies the ideals and values of moderate Islam. The Al Azhar University in Cairo is considered among the oldest seats of Islamic learning and has historically embodied the tradition of moderation and tolerance that characterized Egypt's religious heritage. Egypt is also home to the largest and one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East, making it a melting pot of religions and civilizations.
Egypt's broad efforts at economic liberalization have also been recognized by global leaders. For the third year in a row, Egypt has been named the top economic reformer in the Middle East by the World Bank's Doing Business project. This year, Egypt was also named one of the top 10 global reformers, and when many countries are seeing their economies contract, Egypt is expecting sustained growth.
Bilaterally, the United States and Egypt have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for decades. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently stressed from Cairo that the United States considered Egypt one of its most important partners.
As President Obama eloquently put it, America "is not and will never be at war with Islam." His initiative comes at a very opportune time, and Egypt, America's longstanding friend and ally, is eager to work with the U.S. in advancing the causes of peace and stability in today's troubled world, and mending current relations between the West and Islam.
May 17, 2009
www.chinaview.cn | Editor: Fang Yang
Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts
On Monday evening, Egypt allowed a European aid-laden convoy to cross into the blockaded Gaza Strip which is ruled by Islamic Hamas movement, officials in Gaza said.
The European aid convoy, called "Hope," included 39 European activists and 40 wagons of humanitarian aid holding food and medicine. It arrived at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Sunday.
...Since June 2007... Israel and Egypt have only opened their border crossings with the Gaza Strip for humanitarian aids, fuels and medicine. Egypt, from time to time, opened its borders for Palestinians to receive medical treatment in Egypt.
The Hope aid convoy is the second that reaches Gaza since the end of Israel's 22-day military offensive on the Gaza Strip which ended on Jan. 18.
The first aid convoy with vehicles, ambulances and trucks, which was led by British member of Common House George Galloway, arrived in the Gaza Strip two weeks after the end of the Israeli offensive."
May 8, 2009
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Arab Republic of Egypt
Press Office - Minister's Cabinet
Cairo, Egypt - Egypt has sent 40 doctors to the western Sudan region to fill the gap which was the result of the expulsion of 13 aid groups working there. Sudanese authorities ordered out 13 foreign aid groups working in Darfur at the beginning of March following the ICC arrest warrant issued against Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir.
A spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that the convoy of doctors and medical supplies left Egypt on April 28th.
The Spokesman added that this convoy follows on Egypt's ongoing contribution to the peacekeeping efforts in Darfur, shown through Egypt's participation in a hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur at the end of March, as well as by projects that Egypt is undertaking to dig wells which will serve the inhabitants of the Sudan.
These initiatives reflect Egypt's intent to support the Sudanese people's efforts in their path towards peace and stability.
October , 20
Reuters
The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Egypt rose by 642,000 to 56.49 million in February, according to communications ministry data. The figures amount to a penetration rate of around 72 per cent, although industry executives and analysts estimate that some 20 to 25 per cent of the market involves second phones. January subscriptions were 55.848 million.
Most see room for growth up to around 65 million accounts, or 85 per cent of the population.
A year ago the three mobile firms -- Mobinil, Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat Egypt -- had 43.49 million subscribers in Egypt, whose population is 78 million.
The communications minister said in January that a fourth mobile licence could be offered depending on factors such as available spectrum and revenue as well as subscriber growth. The state-owned landline monopoly Telecom Egypt has expressed an interest in any new licence, holding off on a dividend payment last month ahead of a possible bid. Growth in subscriptions has slowed in recent months after jumping 1.67 million in December.
More than a million accounts had been created every month since late in 2008 as the three operators offered heavily discounted on-network plans to garner customers. In October subscriptions fell.
October , 20
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