Toshka in America

A CONFERENCE to promote the work being done in Toshka will be held in the United States next month. Speaking at a news conference, Robert Smith, head of a visiting delegation of US congressmen, said that "a package programme is needed to market the Toshka project as a whole so that the private sector and investors will be encouraged to come and develop their projects here."

On whether any US investment in Toshka can be expected soon, Smith, who chairs the congressional Agricultural Committee, said, "It is too premature to speak of specific [US] investments at this time." Asked whether US investors had reservations about environmental concerns in Toshka, Smith said that "in the US we have environmental concerns about everything."

Smith said the plan to reclaim two million acres of land (about two million feddans) was very ambitious. "It will take three years before the Toshka Canal is finished and four years before water will be delivered. We must ensure that the water is sufficient in volume to take care of the land being reclaimed. And so in September the conference will offer an opportunity for individuals and companies to meet with Egyptian officials and hear first-hand what the project is like," Smith said.

He said Egypt's relationship with the US in agriculture has, for many years, been excellent, adding that he had discussed the subject with government officials and the Egypt-US Presidential Council. "We want to help make Egypt more self-sufficient by supplying equipment, as well as higher value agricultural products, on a limited area of land," he said.

On the agenda, Smith added, was the decline of US wheat exports to Egypt. "Egypt imports 45 per cent of its needs from the European Union, and 25 per cent from the US. We understand that we must be competitive in quality and price, so as to be a reliable supplier of Egypt's needs."

During its visit, the US delegation met with President Hosni Mubarak, cabinet ministers and members of the Egypt-US Presidential Council, in addition to visiting Toshka.