Committees Briefing 1999
	Banking & Finance Construction & Development Capital Market & Stock Exchange Environment Customs & Taxation Human Resources Investment Successful Career Women Petroleum International Donor Programs Health & Pharmaceuticals Information Technology Legal Affairs West Bank/Gaza Trade & Export Development AmCham's Committees

Banking & Finance Committee

The Banking & Finance Committee invited several guest speakers, including Dr. Farouk El Okda, managing director, Incolease, and Mr. Michel Khalaf, deputy chairman and CEO, Pharaonic American Life Insurance Co. (ALICO).
Among the topics of discussion were: "Expanding and modernizing the life insurance industry: the challenges ahead," "Banks and insurance companies: partners or competitors?" and "Leasing as a new vehicle for finance in Egypt."

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Capital Market & Stock Exchange Committee

The committee held several discussion panels throughout the year with keynote speakers, including Dr. Sameh El Torgoman, chairman, Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchanges, and Mr. Mike Young, director of European strategy, Goldman Sachs International.
Among the topics discussed were "Future stock exchange plans under the new Authority" and "Strategy for global investment: the case for Europe (After the Euro)."

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Customs & Taxation Committee

The committee held a meeting with Mr. Charles Allen, first undersecretary, U.S. Customs Department. Mr. Allen was a U.S. Customs official visiting Egypt to meet government officials, exporters and NGOs to inform them of the new U.S. customs regulations concerning child labor, which are to be implemented on exports to the United States. The issue was considered to have a great effect on Egyptian exports to the United States.

In June, the committee invited Ms. Samia Moustafa Moselhy, head of the Investment Tax Office in Cairo. Ms. Moselhy gave a presentation about "Investment incentives and guarantees" as well as the new regulations of the Investment Law and the difference between it and the old Law No. 2.

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Investment & Trade Committee

The Investment and Trade & Export Development committees amalgamated into one committee and their first meeting’s guest speaker was Mr. Richard B. Self, USTR Geneva representative services negotiator. Mr. Self discussed the "WTO and the new round."

The committee held a joint meeting with the Legal Affairs Committee with guest speaker Mr. Patrick F. J. Macrory, senior counsel, Akin, Gump Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. and director of legal studies at the International Law Institute, Washington D.C. The topic of discussion was "Living with the new world trade system (WTO): benefits and burdens."

A series of meetings were held with prominent speakers, including Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, senior adviser to the minister of economy & foreign trade and board member at the Central Bank, who discussed "Direct flows to emerging markets."

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Petroleum Committee

The Petroleum Committee organized a field trip to Qarun Petroleum Company in January 1999. Qarun hosted a half-day trip including lunch for the members of the chamber. A company production-performance presentation was followed by a visit to the different facilities of the company, including the main control room, fields, tanks, rigs, staff housing, etc. The operations manager and production managers accompanied the AmCham group.

Another field trip was organized in April to Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) in Alexandria. MIDOR is a modern, environmentally friendly, grass-root refinery in close proximity to the SUMED pipeline terminal at Sidi Krir and Dekheila in Alexandria. MIDELEC, a company with a capital of $70 million will supply MIDOR with an electric power plant of 124 MW, which will be constructed by Siemens. MIDOR is one of the first refineries in the Middle East designed to cope with the most demanding European environmental standards required for the next millennium for effluent treatment and product specifications. MIDOR is the first refinery in Egypt to encompass both a delayed coker and a hydrocracker. The total project investment is around $1.2 billion. The refinery is designed to process 5 million tons of crude oil annually. Its processing scheme is based upon high conversion processes to maximize middle distillate products, applying licenses from UOP and Bechtel-Conoco. The project is being undertaken on a total area of 500 acres in the free zone area of Ameriya in Alexandria. The refinery site was graded in a form of a pyramid side on five different levels in order to minimize the cut and fill grading and to benefit the hydraulics of processing. MIDOR will produce high-quality products like unleaded high-octane gasoline, diesel low sulphur, kerosene, jet fuel and LPG. MIDOR is the first refinery in Egypt that does not produce fuel oil as a final product.

In March, Mr. Hamed M. El Ahmady, chairman and managing director, Agiba Petroleum Co. and chairman, AmCham Egypt Petroleum Committee, and Mr. Sameh Fahmy, chairman and CEO, Middle East Oil Tankage & Pipelines and vice chairman of the Petroleum Committee, organized a meeting to give a presentation on "The oil & gas industry in Egypt, upstream and downstream."

Throughout the year, the committee invited several guest speakers, among them: Ms. Sanaa El Banna, first undersecretary, Ministry of Petroleum; geologist Sami Shahin, vice chairman for Petroleum Agreement, Egyptian General Petroleum Cooperation (EGPC); Mr. Magdy Fouad, vice president, Process Technology Chemicals & Life Sciences; Mr. Amir Nemr, director, Process Technology Chemicals & Life Sciences; and Mr. Colin McKenzie, vice president Middle East/North Africa/India. The topics discussed were: "New era for gas application in Egypt," "Petroleum concession agreements in Egypt" and "Egyptian petrochemicals industry: opportunities and trends."

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Health & Pharmaceuticals Committee

The committee met once with guest speaker Dr. Abdalla Molokheya, chairman of the National Organization for Drug Control & Research. Dr. Molokheya discussed "Drug regulation and quality assessment in Egypt."

The committee also held a joint meeting with the Legal Affairs Committee with guest speakers Mr. Joseph E. Howard, attorney adviser, Department of Treasury, U.S. Customs Service Office of Regulations & Rulings, Intellectual Property Rights Branch, and Ms. Therese Randazzo, international trade manager, U.S. Customs Service Los Angeles Strategic Trade Center. The meeting discussed "Intellectual property trading with the United States."

Starting October, the committee met three times to discuss strategic issues, ideas and concerns of potential interest to the health and pharmaceuticals industry in Egypt, including: research industry goals in Egypt, draft patent law, current pricing policy, speed of registration and the status of the Local Industry Association.

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Legal Affairs Committee

The committee held a joint meeting with the Health & Pharmaceuticals Committee. The guest speakers were: Mr. Joseph E. Howard, attorney adviser, Department of Treasury, U.S. Customs Service Office of Regulations & Rulings, Intellectual Property Rights Branch, and Ms. Therese Randazzo, international trade manager, U.S. Customs Service Los Angeles Strategic Trade Center. The topic of discussion was "Intellectual property trading with the United States."

Another joint meeting was held with the Investment & Trade Committee with guest speaker Mr. Patrick F. J. Macrory, senior counsel, Akin, Gump Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. and director of legal studies at the International Law Institute, Washington D.C. The topic of discussion was "Living with the new world trade system (WTO): benefits and burdens."

A third joint meeting was held with the Information Technology Committee with guest speakers Dr. Ali El Hifnawi, senior counselor to the minister of communication & information technology, and Ms. Elaine Strite, manager public information, SIPRE project. The topic of discussion was "Software intellectual property rights (IPR): Where does Egypt stand?"

Dr. Abu Zeid Radwan, professor of commercial law and former dean at Ain Shams University Law School was invited in November, when he gave a presentation on "Regulation of commercial agencies under the new commercial code."

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Trade & Export Development Committee

The committee invited a number of guest speakers to its meetings to discuss a variety of issues. Commercial Minister Tarek Abbas, head of the African Countries & Organizations Department and commercial representative, Ministry of Trade, addressed "Egypt and COMESA: A new venue for our exports (successes and difficulties). Other guest speakers included: Mr. Nabil Mansour, commercial ambassador, Ministry of Trade, who gave a presentation on "Egypt and Arab free trade area agreements (A status report) and Mr. Amr Abdel Latif, deputy director, Egyptian Exporters Association (Expo-Link). Mr. Abdel Latif gave a presentation on: "Export services at the Egyptian Exporters Association."

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West Bank/Gaza Committee

The committee held one meeting, with U.S. ambassador to Egypt Daniel Kurtzer. The topic of discussion was "U.S.-Egyptian–Palestinian business links."

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Construction & Development Committee

The Construction & Development Committee held a BOOT Water Projects Development forum tackling private sector participation in water projects in Egypt. The meeting, held on December 1, 1999, addressed several issues such as: successful formulae for private sector participation in water projects in developing countries; challenges to private sector participation in Egypt; and USAID’s role in promoting private sector participation." The guest speakers were Mr. Richard Heckmann, chairman of the board, Vivendi Water; Dr. Ahmed Gaber, professor of chemical engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University; and Mr. James Harmon, USAID Water/Waste Water Team leader.

Another meeting was held in the AmCham headquarters on June 22, 1999, chaired by Dr. Nabil Shoeb, president, Shoeb Consulting/NAS, Inc. The guest speaker was Mr. Robert Degenheardt, president of Ellerbe Becket, and the topic of discussion was "Integrated services: the new approach to design and construction."

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Environment Committee

The Environment Committee held a meeting on January 30, 2000 on "Environment and legislation: Domestic and international issues." The guest speakers were Counselor Abdel Aziz El Guindi, chairman of Friends of the Environment (Alexandria) and former attorney general, and Dr. Ahmed Rifaat, professor of public international law and dean of the Faculty of Law, Cairo University, Beni Suef branch. 

A meeting was held on December 22, 1999 at the AmCham premises to discuss "Cairo solid-waste problems: Local solutions." The guest speakers were Ms. Laila Kamel, director of Community & Institutional Development (CID); Dr. Nader Ragheb, professor of national research; Dr. Nefissa Aboul Seoud, general director for harzardous & substances wastes, Ministry of Environment. The forum discussed Cairo's solid-waste problems and the proposed local solutions.

The Middle East Business Mission came from the United States from February 23 to 25, 1999. A committee meeting in cooperation with the Office of Commercial Affairs of the U.S. embassy was held to initiate useful interactions between representatives of those companies and members of the Chamber. The main objectives of the meeting were to acquaint the members in the different areas of environment, to advise U.S. companies on the specific activities which need their involvement in Egypt, and to get acquainted with their fields of strength in the United States and other parts of the world.

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Human Resources Committee

The Human Resources Committee held a meeting on November 16, 1999 with guest speaker Ms. Heba El Shazly, regional representative for the Middle East and North Africa. The key topic was "The activities of the American Center for Labor Solidarity in the Middle East."

Another meeting, on September 29, 1999, was held at the AmCham premises. The guest speaker was Ms. Rosie Hobbs, area director of training, Middle East and Africa, Inter-Continental and Crown Plaza Hotels and Resorts. The key topics addressed were: what is the assessment/development center?; why did we opt to use development centers?; how was it done?; and the benefits and the way forward. 

On September 20, 1999, the committee held a meeting with guest speaker Dr. Ibrahim El Fiky, founder and president of Cheops International Seminars Inc., Horace Personal Development Inc. and Sales Masters Press. PME Magazine recognized him as "one of the best speakers in Canada." The topic of discussion was "Unlimited motivation power." 

A general meeting of the month at the Cairo Marriott Hotel on June 10, 1999 was chaired by Ms. Laurie Tapozada, managing partner, HR First and Ms. Mushira El Bardai, HR director, AUC. The guest speakers were Dr. Nazmi Nasralla, professor of business administration at Misr International University and professor of middle management, Unit for Middle East Students, Sheffield University, U.K., and Mr. Galal Mahmoud, general manager, Gam & Associates Management Consultant. The key topics addressed were "the theoretical process of reengineering" and "illustration of the practice of reengineering joint-venture companies in Egypt."

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Successful Career Women Committee

The Successful Career Women Committee organized a workshop on November 30, 1999 at the Ramsis Hilton Hotel. The topic of discussion was "Women’s success – lessons learnt." The guest speakers were Dr. Mona Zulficar, attorney at law, Shalakany Law Firm; Dr. Sallama Shaker, assistant to the minister of foreign affairs for the Americas; and Ms. Nevine El Tahry, managing director, ABN-Amro Delta Securities. 

A workshop on September 21, 1999, held at the AmCham premises, addressed "Goal setting and goal achievement." The guest speaker was Dr. Ibrahim El Fiky, founder and president of Cheops International Seminars Inc. and president of the Canadian and American Neuro-Linguistics Centers. Dr. El Fiky has a Ph.D. in metaphysics as well as 23 diplomas in psychology, human development, management, marketing, memory and other fields.

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International Donor Programs Committee

The International Donor Programs Committee held a meeting with Ms. Toni Christiansen Wagner, deputy director, USAID and chairperson, Donor Assistance Group (DAG); Mr. Edmund J. Cain, UN resident coordinator; and Mr. Robert E. Hindle, deputy resident representative, World Bank, on January 17, 2000. The key topic was "Donor funds: Present and future plans and accessibility."

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Information Technology Committee

The Information Technology Committee held a joint meeting with the Legal Affairs Committee on "Software intellectual property rights: Where does Egypt stand?" on November 23, 1999. The speakers were Dr. Ali El Hifnawi, senior adviser to the minister of communications & information technology; Ms. Elaine Strite, manager public information, SIPRE project; and Mr. Moustafa El-Shafei, IPR specialist, SIPRE project.

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