Congressional Staffers visit January 2005
The American Chamber of Commerce hosted a group of Congressional
Staffers Delegation during the week of January 8th-January 15th,
2005. The delegation was comprised of Senate and House of Representatives
staffers.
This was the sixth bipartisan delegation AmCham Egypt has hosted,
following the success and good feedback experienced by past delegations.
The staffers’ visits help in increasing understanding and
communication between Egypt and the United States Congress, as well
as strengthening the bilateral relationship. Additionally, hosting
the staffers has assisted AmCham Egypt with its annual Doorknock
Mission, giving the Chamber direct contacts in Washington DC.
The one-week long trip made up of a comprehensive schedule, included
meetings with high-ranking government officials, visits to USAID
projects, sightseeing tours, and a one-day trip to the city of Luxor.
The delegation visited with a number of Egyptian government officials,
including Dr. Ahmed Nazif, Prime Minister of Egypt; Omar Soliman,
Chief of Egyptian General Intelligence, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Minister
of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Osama El Baz, Political Advisor to the President;
Dr. Mostafa El Fekky, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee
in the People’s Assembly; Dr. Mahmoud Mohi El Din, Minister
of Investment; as well as Dr. Kamal Abou El Magd, Co-Chairman of
the National Council on Human Rights.
Dr. Nazif gave a briefing on Egypt’s social, economic, and
political situation, and proceeded to take questions from the delegation
for the remainder of the time. Issues addressed included reform,
global competition, the QIZ agreement, and the war on terrorism.
Dr. Aboul Magd provided an outline of how the Council on Human
Rights works, and stated that the Council’s top priorities
consist of reinforcing moderates in society, developing the status
of women, as well as safeguarding the freedom of press and expression.
Dr. El Baz gave a historical overview of the Camp David Accords,
providing interesting details of when he led the negotiations with
the late President Sadat, in addition to his take on the Palestinian/Israeli
situation today.
Representatives of the Ministry of Defense also met with the delegation.
The meeting was very constructive, and detailed the military cooperation
between Egypt and the US. The Egyptian side reiterated the importance
of US military aid to Egypt, stressing the need to maintain the
level of assistance as it is in the future.
Aboul Gheit spoke to the delegation about the direction of Egypt’s
foreign policy, highlighting what Egypt’s approach is towards
international diplomacy, especially as pertaining to the Palestinian/Israeli
conflict and the situation in Iraq. Similarly, Dr. El Fekky in a
very frank dialogue described Egypt’s positions on four foreign
policy issues: the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the Iraq situation,
Egypt’s role in Darfur, and regional reform.
The staffers also attended AmCham’s panel discussion luncheon
on US-Egypt bilateral relations, Middle East peace efforts and Egypt’s
economic reform policies. The panel was comprised of Congressman
Robert Wexler (D-Florida) and Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio).
The event was attended by prominent American and Egyptian business
and political figures, including Dr. Osama El Baz, Political Advisor
to the President, who participated in the discussion. Dr. Taher
Helmy, AmCham President, moderated the lively debate. While, the
staffers got the opportunity to mingle and converse with AmCham
members and veteran Doorknock participants.
The delegates traveled to Luxor for a brief one-day stay, where
they visited the Luxor and Karnak Temples, the Valley of the Kings,
and Madinet Habu. Restoration experts guided the delegates on their
tours, pointing out what USAID projects have contributed to the
antiquities restoration process. Additionally, the delegates got
the opportunity to witness newly recovered antiquities.
Cultural visits in Cairo included the Pyramids of Giza and Sakkara,
the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Mosque as well
as Khan el Khalili and Coptic Cairo.
The staffers rated the meetings they attended as extremely educational
and beneficial, painting a better picture of Egypt and its stances
on domestic as well as international issues. The delegates also
greatly enjoyed the recreational and cultural aspects of the trip,
which presented the social dimensions of Egypt and its people. At
the end of the weeklong visit, the delegates expressed their gratitude
and appreciation to AmCham Egypt for making the trip possible, and
to the people of Egypt for their hospitality and warmth.
This trip was made possible in kind by
the contributions of:
- Marriott Hotel Cairo General Manager Ulrich Huth
- Accor Group of Hotels Managing Director Jean-Michel Casse
- American Express Egypt General Manager Mohamed El Shabrawy
- Abercrombie & Kent Managing Director Amr Badr
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