Rights of the disabled
The Shura Council, the upper house of Egypt’s Parliament, has approved the international agreement to protect the rights of the disabled. “The disabled are entitled to exercise civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights on an equal basis with others,” Shura Council Speaker Safwat al-Sherif said.
Vehicle feeding industries
Earlier this month Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif laid the foundation stone of a two million sq.m. industrial complex in the satellite town of sixth of October west of Cairo. The area will house 180 factories of feeding industries for vehicles, most of the production of which will be for export. The opening ceremony was attended by a host of businessmen from Germany, China, Italy and South Africa. The project is part of Mubarak-Merkel initiative to develop engineering and car feeding industries. The investment expected should amount to $800 million and will create 16,000 jobs.
More wheat
Egypt’s General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) declared it has bought 120,000 tons of French wheat for shipment early April. GASC said it was considering amending some specifications of wheat purchases to include the “greatest number of origins”, including Europe. Egypt already adjusted its wheat specifications to lower the minimum specific weight and the humidity threshold. One of the world’s leading wheat importers, Egypt buys more than six million tons a year, usually from Russia and the US. But this year wheat purchases came from Kazakhstan, Canada, and France as well.
Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
Egypt’s Misr Hotels has signed a Letter of Intent with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to convert Cairo’s Nile Hilton to the Nile Ritz-Carlton. The Ritz-Carlton, a company with a reputation for service excellence and award-winning corporate culture, was selected from among several world-class hotel companies to restore and manage the iconic property once the contract with Hilton International expires. Ritz-Carlton has branches in Luxor, Alexandria and Sharm al-Sheikh.
NGO forum
The second forum of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), organised by the ministries of social solidarity and international cooperation jointly with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has been held in Cairo. It tackled the opportunities of and challenges to the principle of citizenship and good governance in civil society.
Special for the Bibliotheca
French renowned singer Charles Aznavour has decided to dedicate his full works to Bibliotheca Alexandrina this month. Director of the library Dr Ismail Serageddin will receive 45 CDs comprising 3,000 songs, texts, musical pieces, catalogues and rare pictures.
UAE Greek
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa and the UAE Juma Al-Majid Center for Culture and Heritage have signed an agreement on scientific and cultural cooperation. Under the accord, both sides will seek to protect and study heritage, exchange periodicals, and the UAE centre will help the patriarchate restore manuscripts.
No Danish, no Dutch
Cairo International Festival for Children’s Films began last Thursday and runs until next Sunday. The participation of Denmark and the Netherlands in the 2008 round was rejected in response to a film and cartoons produced by the two countries mocking Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, the festival chairman Fawzi Fahmi said.
Top Squash
The world ranking of squash players has four Egyptians among the top ten. Amr Shabana continues to top world squash ranking for the second year in succession. Second ranking is Rami Ashour who is also Egyptian, while Kareem Darweesh and Wael Al-Hendi rank eighth and ninth.