WATANI International
16 May 2010
Largest in Egypt
Egypt has signed a memorandum of understanding with two Chinese companies to build a USD2 billion refinery that would be the largest in the country. The refinery, according to an Oil Ministry statement, would have an initial production capacity of 15 million tons per year, to be expanded by another 15 million tons in a second phase. No date was provided for when the project would begin. Under the terms of the deal, China’s Rongsheng Holding Group and China National Chemical Engineering Co. Ltd., would retain 25-year ownership of the plant which would produce refined products for the domestic market, as well as export to China.
EGP15 bn for cement
Eight new cement factories will be set up in several governorates in Egypt, Minister of Trade and Industry Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed recently said. At an investment of some EGP15 billion, the new factories should produce about 16 million tons annually. Two of these factories will start operation by the end of 2010 and four others by the end of 2011, he said. According to Rasheed, Egypt’s needs of cement are expected to reach 77 million tons by 2015; the current production stands at 50 million tons annually.
Water museum
Mrs Suzanne Mubarak will inaugurate later this month the first children’s museum in Egypt for sciences and water theories. The museum, which took three years to establish at the cost of some EGP12 million, has been set up in the north Cairo Qanater district, home to the famed Mohamed Ali barrage and its fabulous gardens.
63 years of diplomacy
Egypt and Indonesia will be celebrating the 63rd anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between their two countries, a date that goes back to 10 June 1947. Three symposiums will be held later this month in the universities of Zaqaziq, Suez, and Cairo to discuss the history and future of these relations and propose ideas to boost them.
Mother of the world
The Egyptian pavilion at Expo Shanghai, China, which opened last Friday, includes three major projects under the title “Egypt, Mother of the World” and “A better life is a better city”. Some 198 countries are taking part in the Expo Shanghai this year.
Mediterranean comedy
The Italian Cultural Institute has joined hands with the Egyptian Opera House to hold the Mediterranean Festival for Literature last week. The festival was held under the title “Literature and Comedy”, and presented a variety of shows from different Mediterranean countries, stressing thus the common and the individual elements in their cultures.
The world according to planetariums
From 27 to 30 June, the Planetarium Science Centre of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina will host the 20th conference of the International Assembly for Planetariums. The conference, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East and Africa, is entitled “Alexandria: Cradle of Astronomy”. Some 25 international companies will display the latest technology in planetariums.
Art market
The Culture Ministry has approved a project to convert al-Muizz Street in Fatimid Cairo into an art market during the period from 3 to 10 June. Hundreds of works of Egyptian plastic art will be displayed. Muizz St, the main street in Fatimid Cairo which was built by the sultan al-Muizz li-Din Allah in the 11th century, houses a rich collection of stunningly beautiful Islamic monuments, most of which have been renovated throughout the last few years.