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Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Special Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters
Waste watch
RECOGNISING the importance of environmental preservation in Egypt, the Agency for the International Promotion of French Technology and Trade, in collaboration with the French Embassy in Cairo, organised a recent symposium to discuss means of enhancing Egyptian-French cooperation in the field of water and waste-water management and treatment.The symposium, attended by Egyptian and French officials and businessmen in the field of water and waste-water projects, was held under the patronage of Minister of Housing, Reconstruction and New Communities Ibrahim Soliman and Minister of State for Environmental Affairs Nadia Makram Ebeid.
The seminar's main thrust was that releasing wastes and pollutants into the environment as by-products of different human and economic activities could cause serious health and environmental hazards to the country's economic and social development. "The increasing preoccupation of the Egyptian government with environmental safety has been translated into a vigorous search for suitable and efficient measures which would help in preserving the environment and natural resources," said Ahmed Hamza, Ebeid's senior adviser.
However, Hamza added that waste management is still in need of further improvements. "Inappropriate waste management in Egypt causes health hazards, harms air, land and water resources and adversely affects national economic development," Hamza said.
The symposium provided a means for Egyptian businessmen in the environmental field to meet with their French counterparts, benefit from their experience and discuss possible business ventures, Hamza said.
France's contribution to the environment in Egypt has so far been largely concentrated on water-related projects. In the past seven years, 1.7 billion French francs (approximately fifty per cent of the total French aid financing) have been allocated for such projects, mostly for potable water and waste-water treatment plants.
More British business
A HIGH-LEVEL delegation of 18 British businessmen was in Cairo this week to look into joint venture opportunities with Egyptian partners in a wide range of industries ranging from mining equipment to clothing and textiles, Mona El Fiqi reports.The visit was organised by Scottish Trade International (STI), a government authority promoting overseas investment which recently issued a brochure on investment opportunities in Egypt which was distributed to 3,500 Scottish companies. Delegation head Brian Wilson, minister of state for trade and industry at the Scotland Office, told reporters that the visit was made because "Egypt is a commercial and industrial centre of the Middle East." Wilson added that British-Egyptian economic relations are "healthy and are going to be better".
The current balance between Egypt and Scotland is £20 million. "It is important is to continue promoting this relationship and supporting trade missions between both countries," said Wilson. The volume of overall British investments in Egypt is $3 billion, making the UK the second largest investor in Egypt. British oil and gas investments make the UK the foremost investor in Egypt. British Gas (BG) alone has invested $4 billion in Egypt's petroleum sector.
During his two-day visit, Wilson was met by Prime Minister Atef Ebeid as well as by the ministers of economy and finance and the chairman of the General Investment Authority. Also on the agenda with Egyptian officials was a British university to be built in Cairo.
Since the Egyptian British Business Council was established in November 1998 to promote trade relations between both countries, the number of British companies working in Egypt has increased to 400.
Wilson cited Sainsbury's, the British supermarket chain, as one success story regarding British investments in Egypt. "Sainsbury's is a good example of British investment in Egypt." Last year, Sainsbury's bought a 20 per cent stake in the Egyptian company Edge, which owns 93 supermarkets in Cairo. A few months ago, Sainsbury's raised its stake in Edge to 80 per cent.
Sainsbury's also recently signed a contract with the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade for the management of 51 cooperatives. British companies are also active in the Egyptian stock market. The announcement that the British Investment Bank in London, along with Concord National Ltd and Banque Misr, will pour $100 million into joint ventures in Egypt helped raise the market indicator during the last week of October 1999 to 44.6 per cent.
A second British business delegation is scheduled to visit Cairo next week headed by David Blatherwick, the former British ambassador to Egypt who recently took over as chairman of the Egyptian British Chamber of Commerce in London. Representing 21 assorted companies, the mission is scheduled to meet Ebeid and a number of other ministers and bank governors to discuss various financial issues. It will also hold individual meetings with prominent Egyptian businessmen.
Incubating technology
A SEMINAR was held this week on developing technology for small and medium-sized enterprises, Shaimaa Labib attended.The Social Fund for Development (SFD), in collaboration with the Arab Management Association (AMA), organised a seminar on technology upgrading for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The seminar, attended by several Egyptian officials and businessmen, as well as small investors and entrepreneurs, discussed means of enhancing technology usage in SMEs in the fields of production, marketing and sales.
SMEs are instrumental in promoting economic growth, according to Ali El-Selmi, chief executive officer of AMA. "They offer job opportunities at a faster rate than the other kinds of projects. In addition, they need minimal operation investments, minimal space and are labour intensive, thus contributing to the alleviation of the unemployment problem. They also utilise local resources and help create job opportunities in rural areas," El-Selmi said.
He added, however, that Egyptian SMEs face tremendous challenges. "With the current emphasis on globalisation, SME products face severe competition in both local and foreign markets. In order to compete in the global economy, SMEs must reduce their costs while constantly improving quality. Therefore, a mechanism for enhancing these enterprises' technological capacities should be formulated to help them survive the competition," he said.
For its part, the SFD has initiated training centres in different governorates, where several programmes are provided to young entrepreneurs and investors to help support and develop their management and technical capabilities, according to Hussein El-Gammal, the fund's managing director.
"SFD provides young entrepreneurs with managerial, legal and technical training through the establishment of training centres known as 'incubators' in different parts of Egypt," El-Gammal said.
The 'incubators' provide two-to-four year courses aimed at improving trainees' technological skills, as well as providing them with management, packaging and marketing knowledge.
SFD has also established a new department for technological development as part of its Small Enterprise Development Organisation (SEDO), which provides technical and financial support to SMEs. This new department will organise the establishment of several technological centres in urban, as well as rural areas.
