WATANI International
3 October 2010
European Commission support
The European commission unanimously approved a plan of action for the 2010 Egypt-European cooperation programme with an additional 10 million Euros for the funds allocated, to stand at 152 million Euros. Under the programme, some 70 million Euros will be allocated for restoring the Egyptian water sector, 20 million for the second stage of the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) programme, 20 million for the Wind Farm in Gulf al-Zait and 10 million for Justice and Security modernisation. Some 20 million Euros will be earmarked for supporting the Egyptian-European partnership project, 3 million for a cultural heritage project and 9 million for supporting decentralisation and local administration. Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Abul-Naga was informed of the plan of action by a note from European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fül.
World Statistics Day
In response to the call made by the United Nations General Assembly that member states would celebrate 20 October as World Statistics Day, Egypt has decided to mark the day. Head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) Abu-Bakr al-Guindy said that World Statistics Day will be celebrated in Egypt with relevant seminars and workshops. Official bodies concerned with statistics will be invited to participate: the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre, the National Planning Institute, and the Institute of Statistics at Cairo University. CAPMAS will hold an exhibition of statistical products, and the State will issue a special stamp and commemorative coin, Gindy said.
Back to old glory
A state-of-the-art industrial zone for integrated spinning and weaving industries will be established at the west Delta town of Kafr al-Dawwaar, according to an announcement by Minister of Trade and Industry Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed. The Kafr al-Dawwar region has a history of being a stronghold of the industry since the early 20th century, but its factories have increasingly suffered neglect and lack of maintenance since they were nationalised in the 1960s. Even so, Rasheed said, the region is rich in skilled and well trained labour, and is moreover at the hub of local and international cross roads and Alexandria port. The industrial zone, according to Rasheed, will imclude areas devoted to industrial activities, and others to be used for storage purposes and training centres.
E-payment
The Finance Ministry will finalise within the coming few weeks the second stage of an electronic programme for encrypting ministerial mails to exchange messages and classified documents, Finance Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali announced. The highly secure programme will activate electronic ratification among ministries and other governmental institutions, and will help the Finance Ministry expand its e-payment system, he said.
Francophone Summit
Egypt will be participating in the 13th Summit of the Francophone Countries on 23 and 24 October in Montreux, Switzerland. Egypt will be represented at the summit by a delegation at whose head will be Fayza Abul-Naga, the Minister of International Cooperation.
Serageldin at Collège de France
The dynamic director of the Bibliotheca Alexandria Ismail Serageldin has been appointed associate professor at the Collège de France. The appointment came upon a decree by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The Collège is an educational and research institution that offers high-level lectures to the public.