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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 6 - 12 May 1999 Issue No. 428
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Special Focus Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters May Day speech
By Shaimaa Labib
IN HIS Labour Day address broadcast last Thursday, President Hosni Mubarak said that Egypt's top two priorities are "identifying and addressing the skills needed in hi-tech projects, and raising the quality of workers to meet with modern standards". Mubarak said that these two goals will help Egypt meet the challenges of the next century.
These include developing human resources which are the cornerstone for competition; correcting the trade imbalance by increasing exports; developing modern industries; encouraging private sector investments to create more jobs; and reducing population growth from 2 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
Speaking a few days before his 71st birthday, the president emphasised that Egypt has its sights set on mega development projects "which will transform the national economy". He cited projects at Toshka, east of Port Said, northwest of the Suez Canal, North Sinai, "which will change the geography of the country and raise living standards by multiplying the inhabited areas".
Mubarak added that in this day and age, "there is no place for those who depend on others, or those who are preoccupied with issues other than higher national goals".
