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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 April 2000 Issue No. 478 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 20 - 26 April 2000 Issue No. 478
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Heritage Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Fuel for thought
By Salama Ahmed Salama
Rushdi Said, a world-renowned expert in geology, natural resources and energy, has spoken out against the government's plans to engage in joint projects with foreign companies for liquefying natural gas, available in abundance in Egypt, and exporting these reserves to Mediterranean and southern European countries.
In an appeal to the Egyptian government, Said makes his case as follows:
"I urge whomever is concerned about Egypt's future to join me in asking the Egyptian government to refrain from exporting the natural gas recently discovered in Egypt. The government would do better to use the natural gas in developing the national economy, which must be expanded if Egypt is to accommodate the influx of young people entering the labour market, raise the standard of living of its people or ensure them a life of dignity.
"Gas is one of the major sources of energy. To export natural gas, regardless of its form, or the country to which it is supplied, is the quintessence of wastefulness. It means squandering a rare resource in which Egypt has a competitive advantage and which could be used to build up an economy capable of withstanding competition and addressing the challenges precipitated by the new world order. It would be absurd for Egypt not to make use of such a resource, which it badly needs, and to shower it on others instead. While we are making only minimal use of our energy resources, Israel is perennially on the lookout for more resources. Israel's per capita energy consumption is four and a half times greater than Egypt's, and its per capita consumption of electricity is seven times greater than per capita consumption of power in Egypt.
"I appeal to the government of Egypt to safeguard the country's natural gas, and exploit it to the maximum. Our natural gas resources can bring our economy to the level at which we can start speaking about peace -- and a peace between equals, where there is no fear that the stronger party will devour the weaker, or dominate its economy, has more chances of surviving."
Said argues that gas exports will commit Egypt to irrevocable long-term supply agreements, which would be consistent only with the policy of a developing country that has no use for its energy resources except as an exportable commodity, not as a resource to energise its national development. Such a commitment would place it in a subordinate position in any global or regional system it enters. Instead of developing its potential to make optimum use of its energy resources, such a state would have no decision-making power of its own; its policies would be imposed from outside its borders .
Said's arguments are in line with Egypt's aim of maintaining its pivotal role in the post-peace years. Egypt will have to meet real challenges. Claims that it will remain indispensable to all parties even after peace has been achieved are untenable. Egypt's position can only be actualised on the basis of a solid economy, which optimises the use of its natural and human resources, and its capacity to implement ambitious economic and industrial projects. Such an economy would not squander precious natural resources as a marketable commodity to balance its trade deficit, but would put them to good use as a force to propel it out of the vicious circle of underdevelopment. Such considerations seem sufficient grounds for profound thought, and a thorough revision of our policies.
